The Dream
by The Strawberry Phoenix
Summary: You can forget your past, but that doesn't necessarily mean your past forgets you. Some mistakes can redeem your soul yet may also begin the fall of everything you knew. The innocent become the lost by Sun Moon Stars' hand, but the lost are not forgotten.
1. Fleeing

Fleeing

I am the Voice of dragons past

I don't own Gorillaz, but praise the awesome minds that do

* * *

><p>It was dark.<p>

The midnight moon was cleared of any clouds, aiding her, yet, assisting the enemy. Their voices rang loud and clear, the forever- warning that they were close. Very close. She couldn't hide her trail, she didn't have time. All she could do was run, stay ahead of them.

_Tonight these stars illuminating_

_My sore chest, shrinking, inflating_

_Running from the nightmares that are always chasing me._

If they caught her, they'd take her back. And that was the one thing she didn't want. She couldn't let them take her back. That darkness was much more terrifying than this one. That darkness was…painful, tear-jerking, the reeking scent of despair.

_Moonlight beam as my only guide_

_Trying in vain, conceal and hide_

_Longing for a purpose or to simply just be free._

She ducked into cover under a rotten uprooted tree stump. _Te crushin' dark! _She tried her best to breathe normally, deep breathes. Her heart pounded in her ears and she feared the ones searching would hear her as well. She pulled her legs closer to her body.

_Feet in flight, as I run_

_Fleeing as the child they shun_

_Why can't I stop the pain that always burns inside?_

This wasn't the first time she ran away. Multiple failures had made her cautious. If she failed, pain awaited, if she succeeded, freedom. It didn't make sense though. If they hated her, why did they always bring her back? Because the law said so, but people had broken the law before, so why didn't they just kill her, leave the body here in the forests, and claim some wild animal did it? They had the tools to emulate claw and teeth lacerations.

_The starlight river I do reflect_

_Painful domino effect_

_It all started the fateful day she gave up and died._

There were no clouds at all in the sky tonight. The stars winked at her, encouraging her plight. "_We'll lead you to freedom," _they promised.

_Dreamwalker, stride in the night_

_Waking up in sweat and fright_

_Crimson tears from bloodshot eyes_

_Gazing into endless skies._

She often woke up crying, whether it be from actual physical pain, or from visions in her REM mode. She couldn't really prevent either. One was decided by Them, the other happened subconsciously. Although, for a short time, she did cause herself physical pain.

_Primal curse created me_

_Grudging hate sedated me_

_Shadows offering their homes for me to stay._

It was strange. The thing she feared the very most, feared more than the chasers, was the shadows, her best chance of survival. Hiding away and waiting for an opening. An opening that she saw now. She burst from her hiding place, dodging trees and sliding down large rocks.

"There she goes!"

_And so keep chasing, Nightmare men_

_You won't see my face again_

_Sand and salty sea air are calling me away._

Although seemingly impossible, she could hear it. The sound of waves on the seashore, the birds crying to one another, the scents clashing to form one single smell of ocean freedom.

_Setting my soul alight in fire_

_Fateful quest to seek my sire_

_It's time the world to know my heart-breaking truth._

She wouldn't fail this time, luck was on her side. For once! She was quick, she was strong, she was smart, she would succeed!

_From my feebleness, I've grown_

_Surviving now on smarts alone_

_Fighting ghosts and skeletons lurking in my youth._

The smell of city-life, oil, gasoline, cigarette smoke, food vendors. They couldn't find her in the concrete jungle. Now that was damn-near impossible. If someone didn't want to be found in the city, they made sure to get hidden. Sure, they failed when the cops or bad guys were looking for them, but she was just some kid. They didn't care.

_Dreamwalker, stride in the night_

_Waking up in sweat and fright_

_Crimson tears from bloodshot eyes_

_Gazing into endless skies._

_Born from one and left to strive_

_She passed on and I survived_

_Vile demon, do you recall_

_Any feeling of love at all?_

_And maybe some day, I'll redeem her_

_I the stride, the walking dreamer._

With one final burst of strength and energy, she leapt from the wilderness and into the boundaries of the concrete jungle. The chasers were immediately incapacitated by the bright lights and zooming cars blocking their view of her retreating figure. They had failed, she was gone.

"I did ih!" she shouted in triumph, not caring if they could hear her. She could just duck away and be gone in a flash. Everything was possible now, she could truly realize her dream now. "I'm free!" In a fit of joy, she tore across the cross walk, following the crowd that had just stepped off the street and onto the sidewalk on the other side. The signal came on for people to stop crossing, but she was going fast and no one in their right mind would start before she was out of the way. Unfortunately, there was a single person who wasn't in their right mind at that crucial point in time. A drunk driver slammed into one of the waiting cars from behind, pushing it forward and crashing into her.

* * *

><p>In the middle of the ocean, furthest point from any land mass, was a hunk of floating, horrid, pink plastic. A resort-type building was perched on top. Down below, in the last room, a man by the name of Stuart Pot, more commonly known as 2D, awoke for no apparent reason he could decipher. His brain was fogged and addled from sleep by painkillers. Normally he didn't wake up unless a certain green-skinned bass slayer came down there personally, or the cyborg. But for the strangest reason, he subconsciously forced himself awake.<p>

"Do I need somefink?" he wondered out loud. After careful contemplation, or the best he could muster in his condition, he settled back to sleep.

* * *

><p>"She's righ' 'frough 'ere," the doctor led the two men through the hospital corridors. "Yew shewd really be more careful. The city's a dangerous place. A child wiffout escort cewd really get hur'."<p>

"We apologize," said one of the men. "She was just so excited to be here, she ran off without us."

"I 'ear ya, kids are so unpredictable. 'Ere we are." He opened the door of the girl's room. "A bad case, but lucky ta be 'live. Car 'it 'er in te side, throwin' 'er into te in'ersection. Luckily, te other mo'orists stopped and sorta boxed 'er in ta keep others from runnin' 'er ova'. 'Er leg is- ahhh!" The bed that had recently held the injured child was empty. The IV drip was leaking onto the floor, a bit of blood still on the needle. She had been changed into a hospital gown when she got here, so her clothes had been folded into a nearby chair. They were gone as well.

"We have to find her!" said the other man.

"Righ'!" said the doctor. "She's still on 'er painkillers, and wiff tha' injured leg she's doomed! I'll cawl 'ospital lockdown."

* * *

><p>She was very unsteady, almost puking with every step. Every awkward, stabbing, pain filled step. Her left leg wouldn't move properly and her right wrist smarted with discomfort whenever she twitched her fingers. <em>Nuffink I 'aven't dealt wiff before. I'm free now, t'ey can' 'urt me no more. <em>Her tottering stride kept her going through the alleys, making her way slowly along the outskirts of the city. She carried a splintered board stuck full of nails for safety. _T'ere's a reason I'm still 'ere. I won' go back. I will keep goin'. I survived before, an' I'll do ih again._


	2. Ocean gate

Ocean Gate

I am the voice of Dragons past

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>The city ended by the water, and it was there that the docks began. Dirty, trash-filled, oil-soaked water, rickety and rotting wooden planks, barnacle-covered vessels, and a dreary gray cloud sky to top it all off. The fishy stench threatened to spoil anyone's stomach who wasn't careful about breathing. And she was one of them.<p>

The hospital gown had been left back in the filthy alleys. Her clothing made some sort of statement, the 'I'm-poor-and-should-be-avoided-like-the-Plague' statement. At least nobody bothered her. She wore an over-sized gray plaid shirt that dropped to her knees, it was cut up on both sides of her hips for easier movement, a black zip-up vest with a self-made hood crudely stitched on, dirty patched jeans, and a pair of once-black-now-brown combat boots. She wore a do-rag on her head, a pair of sports goggles, and had her hood up. She limped heavily from the injury to her leg, and had her right wrist nestled in the crook of her left arm. She hobbled along, coming to a stop by a fishing boat.

" 'Ello love," said the owner, "wot yer business?"

She reached into her old backpack and pulled out a picture. "I need ta go 'ere." She held it up for him.

He stepped off his vessel and onto the dock, leaning down slightly to see the grubby photo. "Wha' te 'ell is that?"

"Ih's where I need ta go."

"Love, yew sure this is a real place? Ih looks so unnatural."

"Ih's real. An' ih's ou' t'ere," she pointed to the water.

"I fink someone's playin' a joke on yew."

"No joke, did te research meh'self."

"Do yew now where ih is?"

"Coordinates," she stated simply. "Very far away."

"I'll ask agin, yew sure?"

"Ih's called Point Nemo, ih's real alrigh'. Ih's where I need ta go."

"I'm still doubtin' yeh. Find someone else."

Her fingers curled ever so slightly around the picture. "Very well." She pocketed the photo and started off down the docks. But, with each sailor or fisher she went to, what little hope she had began to fade. At the last boat, she pulled out her tiny money pouch for good effect.

"I need ta go 'ere," she stretched to hand the man the photo as he refused to step off his boat.

"This 'fing looks loik a piece o' shi'," he growled gruffly. "Yer not goin' on this boat."

She twirled the money pouch by its drawstrings.

"Not gettin' on this boat."

Her eyes flashed momentarily.

"Sod off," he ripped the photo in two.

A cry of despair escaped her lips. The two pieces floated downward, slipping between the boat and the dock. She yanked off her backpack, tossed the money pouch aside, and dove right in to retrieve them. The man laughed cruelly at the sight of her in the filthy water. She clung to a rotting post, gripping the ripped photo. He stepped off his vessel to grab her money.

" 'EY!" she desperately tried to pull herself up, but agony shot through her wrist, forcing her to slip back into the water. "Tha's mine!"

He scoffed and climbed back up to his boat.

_Tha's ih! I've rolled on meh back 'oo many times! If I'm ta get ta Point Nemo, I need ta step ih up a notch. _She ended up wading back to the shore to get back up to the dock. Her wrist spasmed with pain, but it wasn't anything she couldn't handle. She'd dealt with pain before, even worse than her situation now. Of course, she didn't get as far as she did that time, she was now, currently, beyond help. "Tha' wasn' nice!" she scolded the man.

"Yew fink I care? Sod off 'fore I call te cops."

"Wot did I do ta git te cops down 'ere?"

"Yer buggin' meh."

She retrieved her pack as a safety measure before shouting, "Yew sod off, ya arse-faced bastard!" and taking off at a hobbled loping run back down the docks. After a considerably safe distance, she stopped and looked back, only to be bowled over by a well thrown rope buoy. She landed awkwardly on her left leg, causing agony to spasm once more. _Life isn' meant ta be fair. But wot abou' bein' this unfair? Do I really deserve this?_

" 'Ey love." She looked up to see the first fisherman was standing over her. "Tha' looks loik ih smarts. Want some grub?"

"Sure." She allowed him to help her up. In her experience, people who get too close will cause harm, but this man was nice. She hadn't met too many nice people in her life, the man who took her money being one among many in her memories. "Do yew know 'im?"

"No' very well. New man." He led her on board his own little ship, allowing her to settle in the captain's chair while he searched for the first aid kit. "But why are yew 'ere? Yew can' be any older t'an seven."

"I'm eight-and-a-half."

He stood up too fast and banged his head on the underside of the counter. "Really?"

"I'm unda'sized. Malnutrition an' awl tha'."

"I see. Where ya from?"

"Ratha' not say," she folded her arms across her chest, the action more resembling a hug than irritation. "I don' like talkin' 'bout ih."

"Trauma? Aha!" he successfully held up the kit.

"Memories I wan' ta forget."

"Some o' them are be'er off bein' forgotten." he tossed a towel over to her. "I remember a dark part o' meh life. Wish I didn', but I do." He held up a wrist brace, "Meh youngest son broke 'is wrist a few years back, yew can 'ave tis. I noticed yer tender care." He pointed to her right hand, safely tucked against her chest. "An' te fact tha' yew couldn' climb up. Now, 'bout this leg o' yours."

"I got 'it by a car."

"Wot? Then why ain' yew inna 'ospital?"

"If I stay in one place 'oo long... t'ey'll find meh. I can' let t'em find meh."

"Yew a runaway?"

"From a 'orrible place. Don' let t'em find meh," she pleaded.

"Relax love, I won' breaff a word. Cross me withered 'eart."

" 'Fanks." Her shoulders slumped as her body began to relax. "I've succeeded, don' wan'ta fail now."

"Is tha' why yew 'ave ta get ta tis place?"

She reached into her vest pocket and pulled out the two halves of the picture. "I 'ave ta. T'ey can' find meh there."

"Where's yer mum an' dad?"

Her entire body flinched. "Ratha' not say," she whispered.

"So I take ih t'ey're not the ones chasin' yew?"

"No..."

He sighed and took one of halves out of her hand. He studied it intently, looked out to the fogged-over open water, then back at her. "Yew got faith in this place?"

"As much as I can musta'."

"I don' know the way, but maybe I can 'elp. 'Richie' down there," he gestured to the man at the end of the docks, "is always braggin' 'bout 'is boat. I know fer a fact tha' he's got a speedboat fer a life raft, bugger. I'll distract 'im, yew get te boat."

"Yew'd do tha' fer me?"

"Yew seem like a nice kid. Yew got goals. Jus' promise me something."

"Wot?"

"Don' die out there."

* * *

><p>The plan hadn't gone quite as they wanted. First off, she had hoped it would be a lot more clean. But a blood sprayed deck, nets tangled in rotors, and a beer drum sunk in the water later, she couldn't go back on it now. The sailor had hit the elder fisherman in the chest with a fishing pole, a sight that had terrified her enough to start doubling back on the deck. But the fisherman had urged her on. Now here she was, crouched in a speedboat, maneuvering through the docks.<p>

"Somebody stop 'er!" the sailor had cried out.

"Why don' yew stop 'er wiff yer fancy boat? !" several other men shouted back at him. The whole thing was a show for them. They were so entertained, in fact, that they began unintentionally aiding her. As the sailor tried to follow her out of the docks, they were all starting up their boats and cut him off. She was grateful, but knew that they didn't care about her.

_Point Nemo, 'ere I come! _she studied the smudged coordinates on the back of the photo. The fog swirled around her, hiding the boat from its chaser. She didn't know how long she kept going, hours it seemed, but the further from shore she got, the more the fog cleared. Soon the clear water looked like that one would see in dreams. The scent of salt and freedom filled her lungs. Her pain was left behind on the shore. _Wot will I do once I get t'ere? Surely t'ey won' throw meh in te sea? At least give meh fuel ta get back. _

On cue, the boat engine sputtered and died away. "No-no-no! No!" she grabbed the cord and yanked so hard she fell back, smacking her bad wrist against the side. But fear overtook pain, so she stood up and tried again. No matter how many times she tried, the engine wouldn't jump to life. _Jus' grea'. Now I'm stuck!_

The sound of another boat engine echoed behind. Her heart jumped in joy with the thought of the kindly old fisherman maybe following her out. But it was far from that comforting thought. "Yew'll pay fer tha', yew li'le bitch!" the sailor directed his boat straight for her. He waved a small handgun above his head. She was more expecting a flare-gun or a spear-gun, something to go more with the setting. It wasn't very big, but size didn't matter when all he wanted to do was put a bullet through her head.

_Te hate! Please don' 'urt me!_

Before either of them could act, a giant hand rose from the water. A head came up with it. A giant man, with a regular sized person perched on his head. Without saying a word, he used his other hand to turn the boat 180 degrees and set it down in the water once more. The sailor shrieked and gunned the engine. The giant man turned to look down at her. "You a'ight?"

"Y-y-y-yes," her entire body was shaking in pure terror at the sight of her savior. "F-fank y-y-yew."

"No problem. We saw the gun an' then saw you, put two an' two togethuh, then decided it wasn' a good situation."

"F-fank y-y-yew," she couldn't say anything else.

The regular sized person dropped to the giant man's shoulder. A young woman in a white and red dress, black striped stockings, and, most curious of all, wore a cat mask. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Pro'lly n-not. Please don' 'urt me."

"We ain' gonna hurt'cha," said the man. "What are ya doin' all the way out here?"

"Could ask te same 'fing."

He chuckled. "You talk like someone we know."

"Ih's Cockney."

The woman took a flying leap into the boat, rocking it violently. "Where are you going?"

"Yew wouldn' believe meh."

"Try me."

"I'm goin' ta Plastic Beach."

The woman's body visibly stiffened. A few moments of awkward silence passed before she spoke again, "What a coincidence...so are we. You can come with us."

" 'Kay." They ended up sitting on the man's head while towing the boat behind. Despite the fear and strangeness of the situation, she felt content.

"Why the goggles and hood?" asked the woman.

"Why te mask?" she shot back.

"To hide scars."

"Well...same 'ere."


	3. Point Nemo

Point Nemo

I am the voice of Dragons past

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>"What purpose do you have for Plastic Beach?" the woman handed her a water bottle. The sun was cleared of any clouds, so the heat was taking its toll. And the fact that she wouldn't take down her hood.<p>

"Go' meh reasons. Doin' a favor fer someone long gone."

"...okay. How did you find the beach?"

"Internet. Furthes' point from land mass, find middle o' ocean an' shove off. Weren' 'ard."

"How hold are you?"

"Eight-and-a-half."

"Impressive," said the man. "I don' know many kids, but I can think of only one other who was smart at a young age."

The woman playfully hit her fist against his skin. "I can only hope you're talking about me."

"Yew two know each otha' from a long time ago?"

"I've known Russel-san since I was ten. I've known all of them," her voice dropped away. "Introductions," she whispered more to herself. She looked up and spoke, "I'm Noodle. This is Russel. What's your name?"

The girl's entire body convulsed. She let out a small whimper and spilled the contents of her water bottle down the side of Russel's head. At the sensation of the wetness trickling by his ear, he immediately stopped swimming. "What's goin' on up there?" he asked cautiously.

"I...I don' use meh name no more," she finally gasped. " 'oo painful. I can' 'andle ih."

"Okay, okay," Noodle did her best to keep the situation under control. "Then what may we call you?"

"Cyan. I'm Cyan."

"Oh...that's a weird name."

"Lewk who's talkin'!" her voice took a playful tone as she said this. Both females started smiling and laughing like old friends. _Te sound o' laughter. Haven' 'eard tha' inna long time. At least not laughter tha' wasn' cruel. _The sound calmed her. A human who acted with true heart, and one not filled with malice, at that! "I like yew."

"Oh?" Noodle rubbed her hand on the side of her face, wiping away tears, although it was hard to tell with the mask and all. "What do you like about me?"

"I like...I really don' know. Yew're nice...an' don' 'it meh."

"Where have you been that people hit you? Since you said you liked me because I don't hit you, I can reason that you've been purposely beaten. Am I right?"

"Sadly yes. People 'ave 'urt meh bad. As result...don' like people. But yew seem nice." Silence reigned afterward, not awkward, but pleasant. The cry of gulls overhead, the sound of Russel swimming, peaceful freedom. "Why are yew goin' ta Plastic Beach?"

"I' more concerned with your reasons. We're adults at least."

"Barely," Russel mumbled to himself.

Noodle hit him to remind him they were up there. "I'm twenty!"

"It don' matter, you'll always be that little girl in my mind."

"Yew're sweet," said Cyan.

"Thanks angel."

"Back to what we were talking about," Noodle began to steer the subject, "what made you think you could make it to Plastic Beach? You're so little and you're hurt!"

"I 'ave nothin' left ta live fer. There's no 'ope fer meh. Might as well try meh last stunt."

"I'm not following."

"There's reason I'm ou' 'ere. I 'ave ta find someone, someone who's responsible fer everyfin' tha's 'appened ta meh. T'ey lef' us alone, t'ey started t'is."

"Who are you looking for?"

"Ratha' not say," she tucked her knees against her chest. "Yew wouldn' agree."

Noodle reached out to put a hand on the girl's shoulder. The sudden movement sparked painful memories. With a shriek of hidden pain, Cyan jumped back, only to tumble off Russel's and into the water. The small splash and ripple alerted their human boat of the situation. Russel couldn't tell exactly where she was, so he waited for some bubbles to show up so he wouldn't accidently crush her while searching. The girl rose to the surface, gasping and screaming.

"Hey-hey-hey! Calm down, I gotcha," Russel's hand rose out of the water with her perched on top. Her hood had fallen off and her goggles had slid down to around her neck. The do-rag was still knotted tightly around her head. "You a'ight..again?"

"Fine..." she muttered. She struggled to stand, her left leg shaking violently with the effort. "Never did learn 'ow ta swim. Pro'lly wewd be a good talent ta 'ave ou' 'ere. Don' 'ave many skills, been survivin' on smarts alone." Russel placed her back on his head. " 'Ow long will t'is take?"

"Furthest point from any landmass," Noodle reminded her, "and you didn't get very far on your own."

* * *

><p>2D sighed deeply, his chest expanding to its fullest before he released the air. The whale was gone, thankfully, so this moment of fear-less thoughts were really helping. His one-track mind was guided back to his abrupt awakening a few nights ago. He had taken a good amount of his pills that night, and once he did, he was usually dead asleep. A dreamless sleep too. So it wasn't a nightmare or of that sort that woke him. He had just felt the need to wake up, something told him to.<p>

_Wot wewd tell me ta wake up? I wasn' in danga', I think. No, te whale wos gone, Murdoc wos upstairs, an' Cyborg wasn' on guard. I wasn' in danga', no loud noises, no one 'it me, why did I wake up?_

Faintly, he could hear gunfire from above. Lots of gunfire. Something bad was happening. This wasn't Cyborg's boredom or training exercises. No, that usually involved him running while wearing a neon shirt with a target painted on it. _We're unda' attack,_he concluded. His gaze shifted to the small window over his bed. Just as he focused, his vision not being the best, he saw something dark shoot through the surface of the water. _Please be Muhdoc, please be Muhdoc, _he started begging. It drifted away at an unnatural speed toward the bottom of a large old-fashioned pirate boat.

"No!" he leapt up, screaming, "not te whale!" Just there, a shape in the distance steadily growing bigger. The being of his fears, the monster of all horrors, a whale. 2D reached up to the clown mask situated on his head. He tugged it down over his face, not knowing what else to do.

* * *

><p>"That don' look good," Russel's head was poking out of the surface. They could see the carnage unfolding miles away. "They'll see us comin', I stick out like a sore thumb."<p>

Cyan placed her sports goggles back over her eyes, her clear, ocean-blue eyes. "I waited 'oo long fer t'is moment. If yew won' keep goin', I'll swim."

"Now, we ain' gonna letcha do that."

Noodle, there obviously being an eye-hole in her mask, held up a miniature spyglass. "They're under attack by pirates! Wow, usually you'd only hear about that in storybooks. Well actually," she focused the scope, "these ones have planes too. Game plan?"

Cyan slipped down to Russel's shoulder and clambered into the boat. _If I can jus' get a steady rotation wiff te blades, I can coast inta te docks. _She yanked the cord a few good times, but the dying sputter sapped her hope. _By te time I get t'ere, t'ey'll awl be dead. T'en wot 'ave I wasted meh life on? _

"Baby-girl, I got an idea. You two climb in my mouth an' I'll dive."

"Ten on te gross factor!" Cyan dropped the cord. "Yew been suckin' seawater! I ain' gettin' in t'ere."

"You'll get shot if you don't," Noodle reasoned. "Or they'll ram you with the ship. And what if you do get to the shore? You think Murdoc will be happy to have you? No way, he barely allowed me to stay when I showed up on his doorstep. He'll toss you to the gulls first chance."

She looked up to the woman, a thoughtful look on her face. _Russel...Noodle...Muhdoc... _"I'll squeeze unda' te bench. Send te boat in tha' direction, an' both o' yew dive in surprise attack. Russel cewd toss tha' ship out o' te briny blue."

* * *

><p>The whale approached faster. It was close enough that he could see harpoons and wounds that stood against its skin. The hulking figure drew closer, its maw of lined teeth open, ready to gulp him down!<p>

"Back devilfish!" 2D raced to his door, thankfully finding it unlocked, and slammed into the lift doors. The machine ran slowly, taking its sweet time aiding him. He dared a single glance back at the window, but the whale was gone. Curious, but not enough to check this situation over, he leapt into the lift as soon as the doors opened. " 'Urry-'urry-'urry-'urry-'urry-!" he repeatedly jabbed a random button, not caring where it took him.

With a creak, the lift started upward. But 2D's momentary troubles were far from over. The light bulb swung around dangerously as the whole lift tilted. The singer was thrown to the wall. Little did he know, it wasn't the lift, but the _whole _island was tilting. "Bloody 'ell!" He had been pressed against the door, so when it slid open, he shot out and slammed into the guard rail outside. The entrance door was gone, blown off it appeared. Shaking from all that had happened in these past few minutes, he gripped the rail and rose to his feet. A sight unlike any other greeted him.

A pirate ship, jet planes flying around, the top of Plastic Beach smoking, a giant Russel propped up against the shore, tilting the island, and, even more shocking to him than Russel, a young woman with a cat mask resting on top of her head. Her once youthful face scarred with bruising and a weariness unlike any other. Despite her appearance and the probability of it truly being her, he recognized that person.

"Noodle!" he flew down the stairs, completely unaware of the carnage unfolding around him. Only a few feet from her, then he was abruptly and painfully stopped. Cyborg caught him in the gut with the handle of her gun. "Cheap shot," he whimpered, falling to the plastic ground.

"I don't know what the hell you are," Noodle growled, "but _no one _hurts 2D-san in front of me!"

"Ah, love," 2D whispered while clutching his stomach.

"Cyborg!" Murdoc almost tumbled down the steps from the entrance. "Shoo' the damn planes down! Wot do I- sweet Satan!" he caught sight of the scene before him. He chuckled nervously, " 'Ey Russ, Noodle, 'ow ya been?" Whatever reply was silenced by plane gunfire right above their heads.

"Tha's it!" Russel reached up and grabbed the plane between his fingers. He chucked it over to the pirate ship, blowing a gaping hole in the belly. He let go of the island, causing it to settle back into place, knocking everyone over in the process. His head disappeared under the waves momentarily, before surfacing with the ship in hand. He grunted loudly, chucking it as hard as he could. They all watched in utter amazement as it flew into the horizon. "An' don' come back!" he shouted after it.

Murdoc rubbed his fingers against his forehead. "Oh, yew've pissed 'im off now," he muttered. "Oh well, no 'arm done." He spread his arms wide, a painfully fake smile on his face. "Welcome to meh 'umble abode. Welcome to Plastic Beach, the paradise o' the ocean."

"Paradise? Hah!" the boat containing Cyan drifted to the shore and came to halt beside Russel. "Yew couldn' be anymore wrong!"

"An' who the bloodly 'ell are yew?"

She didn't reply. Her blue eyes were all for the lanky man picking himself off the ground. She sprang from the boat surprisingly well, considering her injured leg. She strode up to 2D, who, expecting immediate friendship from such a small child, held out his hand so she could help him up. Instead of taking his hand, she moved closer to his body. With a cry of triumph, and a little of pain due to having to balance on her bad leg, she kicked him in the crotch.

Murdoc burst out laughing. "I don' know who yew are, but I like yew already!"

"Wot was tha' fer?" 2D whimpered, curling up.

"Yer name is Stuart Pot, mo' commonly knewn as 2D. But I know yew as somefink more." She pulled her goggles off completely and tugged down her hood, leaving just her do-rag. She undid the back and pulled it off. Short, incredibly choppy, and as deep of blue as her eyes, her hair was scraggly and stuck up from her sudden exposure by pulling off the do-rag. " 'Ello...Da'."


	4. Cold Candy

Cold Candy

I am the voice of Dragons past

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>"Don' make a mess. If ya do, yew clean ih up!" Murdoc took a deep swig of his bottle before exiting the kitchen."An' I wouldn' be sittin' on the floor, if I were yew."<p>

Noodle and Cyan both sat cross-legged, backs against fridge and cupboards respectively. A number of different things were strewn around them. Different cans of frozen juice, some opened and empty, a dozen ice cube trays, pitchers, rolls of plastic wrap, and a large box of toothpicks. "If you don't mind," Noodle responded in an even voice, "go drown yourself in liquor." She wasn't too happy with the discovery of Cyborg Noodle, so she and Murdoc weren't on very good terms. He seemed to be making as effort though.

"Bingo!" he called back.

"I unda'stand yer feelin's, don' know wot I'd do in t'is situation, but 'e does seem ta wont yer fo'giveness."

"Probably just to keep the band together." She grabbed a pitcher full of orange juice and poured it into one of the trays. She rolled a sheet of plastic wrap over it and stuck toothpicks in each compartment. She rose with it in hand and put it in the freezer. "He can bugger off."

"At leas' Cyborg's locked up," the girl pointed out. " 'E agreed ta tha'."

"And 2D isn't locked in his room anymore."

Cyan narrowed her eyes. "Yeah..." After her introduction to her father, things went a little crazily. Russel and Noodle were appalled by her reasons to venture all the way to middle of the ocean. 2D was just as shocked to see her as anyone. Murdoc wouldn't stop laughing. It seemed her act had put him in a good mood. He allowed her to stay, but certain restrictions were set in place. As a child, there were certain things she wasn't allowed to see in the manor, she also wasn't to go in his room or his hideout, but that was a restriction for everyone. And she, like everyone, had to steer clear of Cyborg's cupboard, as in the agreement of her being locked away. Other than that, everything was open to her.

" 'Ey Noodle! I made a pillow fort, wanna-" 2D walked into the kitchen and saw the two on the floor. But as soon as he spotted Cyan and he froze on the spot. His knees locked together and he shuffled back out.

"You know," Noodle spoke up, "you don't have to hate him. Just get to know him."

"Neveh!" she spat. "I don' want ta know anyfink 'bout 'im! I don' want ta know 'im!"

"Why? Why come all the way out here to just kick him in the crotch? What are you going to do now?"

"Make 'is life a livin' 'ell."

"Murdoc-san's already done that, what can you do to him that hasn't already been done?"

Now there was a thought. She sighed deeply. Murdoc had secretly told her he would help in any way she wanted to torture her father, but she didn't want repetition, she wanted to do things differently. Something new.

"Noodle!" 2D called from the lounge area.

The young woman rose to her feet. "Excuse me."

Cyan could only watch her as she left the room. Now there was something that made her blood boil. Noodle and Russel, and technically Murdoc, were the first people in years to be nice to her. She had taken a particular liking to Noodle, and the fact that she was so friendly with the man that she hated most of all threw her into turmoil. _Time ta seek 'elp. _With great effort, she managed to get up and limped out of the kitchen. The sight before her sent a painful twinge through her heartstrings. The two adults were in a tight embrace. Noodle had her head buried in 2D's chest, while he rested his cheek on her head.

"I've missed yew so much, love. I'm so 'appy yer awrigh'," he whispered.

Cyan backtracked and had to support herself on the table. _I won' let 'er get 'urt like Mum. It was awl 'is fault! She doesn' see, but I'll protect 'er! _She ran into the study, stumbling a little when her leg gave out. The two split apart. Noodle flinched as she ran by, but 2D took a flying leap into his pillow fort, as if it would protect him. The girl didn't stop, she kept going and collided with the bookshelf. With surprising strength, she lifted herself up the shelves using only her arms and pushed The Bastard in. The shelf swung inward and she dropped. Unfortunately, she didn't land on her feet.

"Oh my God!" Noodle rushed over to the open doorway, the sound of a body falling down the metal stairs reverberating around the whole island. "Cyan!" she raced back to the kitchen, emerged with a large metal cookie sheet, and set it at the top of the stairs. She crouched on it and jumped forward slightly before sliding down the steps.

"Tha' looks like fun!" 2D went to get his own cookie sheet.

* * *

><p>"Bloody 'ell! Wot are yew doin'? !" Murdoc flung open the door after the thuds and clangs interrupted his 'important work'. He could also hear screaming and two separate, continuous, scraping noises. Voices echoed from up the spiral.<p>

"2D, why are you here? !"

"I wonted ta play!"

"This isn't a game!"

"But ih's fun!"

Cyan fell down the last few steps, coming to a halt against Murdoc's legs. "Oh, 'ello Mistah Muhdoc." She grabbed his legs and managed to roll out of the way as Noodle and 2D tumbled down. The cookie sheets banged loudly and skidded further across the floor.

"Faceache!" Murdoc roared. 2D yelped and tried to untangle himself from Noodle. "Wot are yew doin' down 'ere, this is meh personal place!"

"Cyan-chan fell down the stairs," Noodle pushed 2D away with her legs, "we were only trying to rescue her."

"I don' need '_is _'elp," Cyan muttered. "Neveh did, neveh will."

"Get out!" the bassist ordered. 2D, fueled by his fear of the man, slid and fell on the stairs before racing up. Noodle collected the sheets under one arm and held out her hand to Cyan. "I got 'er, go upstairs."

Her eyes widened. "Not that I don't trust you, but is that wise?"

"Go," he repeated.

A little reluctantly, she started up the stairs.

"Now love," Murdoc nudged the child with his foot, "I thought I lef' specific orders tha' yew weren' ta come down 'ere. No one wos. Wot makes yew think yew 'ave special treatment?"

"I want advice."

" 'Bout wot?"

"I want ta torture 'im. Make 'im miserable."

He laughed. "Now yer talkin' meh language. I'll tell ya some important facts."

* * *

><p>"You sure?"<p>

Cyan held the bottles of alcohol tightly. "Mistah Muhdoc said we cewd. 'E wants us ta."

"Do you really respect him enough to refer to him as 'Mister Murdoc'?"

" 'Ell no! But migh' as well get 'im ta like meh." She began pouring a concoction into the ice cube trays. " 'E wants alcohol flavored popsicles."

"But...alcohol doesn't freeze. At least not at the temperatures this freezer can manage."

"Ih's jus' spiked. Ih's not pure booze." She put the tray in the freezer, checking their earlier ones. One of them was ready, so she excitedly pulled it out. "Grape's ready!"

"Good," Noodle smiled, "I'll go get Russel-san, his treatment should be over soon." She left the kitchen, the mask hanging off its strings on the back of her neck watching the girl as it left with its master. Murdoc was putting Russel through some weird voodoo treatment that would remove the toxins from his body and, hopefully, shrink him back.

_Time fer some snoopin'. _She called the lift, made sure it was empty, and stepped in. Her hand found the button that would lead her to the lowest part of the island. 2D's room was messy and smelled musty. There was also a distinct rank of mold, most likely caused by a leak somewhere. She picked herself around the piles of clothes. _Where are t'ey? Mistah Muhdoc said t'ey'd be- aha! _She held up the bottle of headache medication. _Le's see 'ow yew feel afta' te popsicles t'night._ The lift doors opened with a small chime. Cyan squeaked and hid behind the open door, pressed against the walls. Her injured wrist pulsed from her tight grip on the bottle.

"Where is ih?" 2D said out loud to himself. "Ah." Cyan peeked from behind the door, seeing the man holding up a small box. "Noodle'll love yew. She'll be so 'appy." He hugged it to his chest, a giant grin on his face. He returned to the lift.

_Stay away from Noodle._

* * *

><p>"Get out o' there, lards!" Murdoc stepped back just in time to steer clear of Russel's fist. The now-shrunken man lifted himself out of the dirty water and crawled onto the beach. "Don' go suckin' anymore sea water."<p>

"Fuck off, Muds."

"Ahhh! Meh virgin ears!" Cyan came walking down to them, her hands on each side of her head.

"You were cussing a few days ago," Noodle accused.

"Did I eveh drop te f-bomb? No, no I didn'. 'Sides, wot I've learned, I've learned from otha's."

"Right," said Russel, "no more cussin' 'round Cyan."

"Wot? ! S'not like I've gone outta meh way ta cuss as much as I can. I 'ear ih, don' repeat ih...most o' te time."

2D tapped Noodle on the shoulder to draw her attention. "I got somefink fer yew, love." He brought the package from behind his back and held it out to her. "I saved ih."

She took it and shook it slightly, listening to whatever was inside. "What is it?"

"Open ih, love," he was acting just like an excited child.

She did so, ripping the tape to pull up the cardboard flaps. "Oh 2D, you kept it?" It was her radio helmet.

" 'Course. I wasn' gonna let ih go easily."

"Popsicles," Cyan spoke up.

"Popsicles!" 2D cheered loudly.

* * *

><p>"Everything's going to be alright! Don't worry!" The next morning was a little hectic. Last night had been a blast, and, according to plan, 2D had indulged in the alcohol popsicles. Now, a head splitting migraine had downed him to the couch in the study. He had already puked up what little breakfast he'd eaten and Noodle was frantic. "I'll find your pills! Hang on!"<p>

Cyan joined her in the lift, calmly standing still as it brought them down to the lowest level. Safely tucked up her sleeve was the pill bottle, and she was coming along to take anymore to be found.

"They have to be here!" Noodle almost seemed on the verge of tears. "He would have said something if he were running low!"

Cyan scratched at her head through her do-rag.

"Where are they?"

She emptied the bottle into her palm and tossed the bottle away before turning back to the lift. Murdoc was waiting for her in the study. "Yew got 'em?"

"Yeah. Tossed te bottle, took te pills."

"Good job."

The lift doors opened to reveal Noodle, her fist tightly clenched. Murdoc ran off into the kitchen. The woman stepped over to her blue haired band-mate and her hand, revealing three pills. "Here you go." 2d snatched them and swallowed them dry. Cyan could only watch in complete confusion and horror as the woman walked back over to her. Those green eyes filled with disappointment and pity. "Never have I met someone trying so hard to be like Murdoc."

Cyan felt her heart almost shatter.

* * *

><p>i was watching America's Funniest Home Video when the idea of the cookie sheet sleds came to mind. Truthfully, I highly doubt they would work.<p> 


	5. Plastic Tournament

Plastic Tournament

I am the voice of Dragons past

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>"Four!" Cyan swiped the pair of balled socks with her golf club. It flew through the air with a certain grace before landing in the piranha tank.<p>

"Water hazard three, that's gonna cost you," Noodle took her pencil from behind her ear and jotted down in her notebook. With nothing here to keep them entertained for long, the inhabitants of Plastic Beach had taken to keeping themselves entertained. Currently going on was laundry golf. And where the child had found the golf clubs was still a mystery. Surprisingly, no one noticed the few barnacles on the putter, or the fact that maybe a foot of the island had drifted off.

"I'd ratha' ih be three t'an two or one." One of the water hazards was the open window, the other was the toilet. "At least t'is one's worth gettin' back."

" 'Specially since t'ose are Muhdoc's socks," said 2D, leaning against his club.

"2D-kun!" Noodle shouted, "I said no using Murdoc-san's clothes! First off, they're disgusting, second, he'll be pissed. Cyan don't touch them! Let the piranhas have them."

"T'ey're not eatin' 'em." She tapped the glass, causing the little pink one to hide further in its can. "Eat te socks, fishy. Leave no evidence." She felt a shadow loom over her. Memories and hidden fears flashed. She shot her fist up to clock 2D in the jaw.

"Ow!" he clutched his sore face. "Wot did I do?"

Before she could answer, they were interrupted by a loud shout. " 'Ey! Wot did I say 'bout usin' meh clothes fer yer stupid game? !"

"Sorry Murdoc-san," Noodle used her club to collect the rest of their 'golf balls' into a pile. "But we mistook your clothes for moldy rags."

"Not funny, love," he scooped the pile into his arms and retreated to the bookshelf.

Cyan glanced down to notice he had left one behind. "Yer thong's up 'ere!"

"Bring ih to meh!" he shouted back.

"Umm...no."

"Ih's clean!"

"But I know where ih's been!"

"Don't touch it, your hands will burn of acid." Noodle, once again, used her club to move the article of clothing closer to the exposed staircase. "Next time don't leave your clothes where we can get to them. We're like kids, Murdoc, we're into everything." She turned back to other two. "We don't speak of the socks. Just let that run its course."

"Right," the two bluenettes agreed at the same time, causing 2D to look down at his daughter with a grin, but she looked up at him with a glare.

"Let's find something else to do."

"We cewd play sock-hockey in te kitchen. Tile floors," Cyan suggested.

"Badminton on te beach," said 2D.

"Volleyball."

"Water polo."

"I don' suggest goin' in the water," Russel called from the kitchen. "Go for badminton."

* * *

><p>Cyan and Noodle shared a room. It was right above the entrance, and since the island narrowed dramatically, there was only enough space for their circular bedroom and the lift port. Noodle had the bed, which was more a narrow cot, and Cyan slept on the floor in a pile of blankets and pillows, most of which she had stolen from 2D's fort. She didn't mind, it was pretty comfortable. An immense improvement over what her old digs used to be. The room was painted a dark gray-blue, a color neither of them really liked for this atmosphere. Murdoc promised to get them paint on the next trip to the mainland. Not really promised, more bullied into it.<p>

"T'is place smells like a landfill," Cyan complained.

"It basically is one."

"No, ih's a prison."

Noodle looked up from routing through what little clothes she had. "What do you mean? No one's locked up...anymore."

"But is t'ere easy access off? No. T'ere's te submarine, but Mistah Muhdoc 'as te keys. 'E's te warden."

"Well 2D-kun told me that thing doesn't even have an engine."

"Well t'en...wot abou' Stylo?" It was becoming apparent to everyone. Because of Cyan's hatred of her father, Murdoc had sort of taken her as his 'apprentice' of sorts. He had personally shown her Stylo and his lair. "Mistah Muhdoc 'as te keys ta tha' too." She paused for a moment. " 'Ave yew even seen Stylo?"

"It's been mentioned, but not seen. I'd be wary if I were. Murdoc's taken a real shine to you, he'll turn you into his own image if you're not careful." She successfully held up a two-piece swimsuit. "Do you have something more comfortable to change into?"

Ever since arriving, Cyan had been wearing the same clothing. She had abandoned the vest and hood after it became hot, but she kept the do-rag and goggles, but chose to usually wear them around her neck. As of late, her clothing had grown quite grimy, but she refused to wash them. Mostly because she had no other clothes, but she failed to mention that to anyone. "Not really, I'm fine."

"You'll suffer from heatstroke and no one will be happy, not Murdoc-san, surprisingly, not Russel-san, not 2D-kun, not _you_, and not Noodle-chan," she tapped herself on her shoulder.

"Wot are t'ose?"

"Pardon?" Noodle had just taken off her shirt, so the question was a little badly placed.

"Te li'le words yew put at te end o' our names."

"Honorifics? I'm Japanese, each one is a term of different levels of respect and relationship. I'll teach you sometime." She turned her back to the girl. A look of shock appeared on Cyan's face. Horrific scars marred the woman's back. Some were jagged, half-healed lacerations, others were scabbed over. One stretched from her shoulder to her opposite hip.

_Tha' one must o' sliced 'er back in two. I ain' got nuffin' on 'er scars. I bow ta yew, survivor o' wot I don' know._

"What are you doing?"

Cyan was actually bowing. "Nuffin'."

"Hmph, I can give you some clothes. They'll be a bit big, but you should be fine."

* * *

><p>"Come on-come on-come on!" 2D was bouncing around at the entrance stairs. "Badminton's set up. Le's play, yew against me!"<p>

"I'm 'ere too," Cyan walked out from behind Noodle, wearing a white tank top and blue shorts that dropped well past her knees. Her shoulders were bare, exposing blue and black bruising. Of course, she still had nothing on Noodle.

"Oh love," 2D whispered at the sight of Noodle's scarring on her exposed body. "Wotever 'appened ta yew?"

Cyan pushed past him and made her way down to the beach. Well, no actual beach, just the turf of flat garbage closest to the water. One had to be careful going barefoot. Bloody footprints all over the manor weren't going to be appreciated by 'the warden'. _T'is is our net? _It was a knotted, seaweed-covered mess. It looked like it was just pulled from the ocean, which would make a lot of sense. She leaned in close to see one side was held to its pole by a single knot. _Oh joy. _A powerful gust of wind tore across the island, snapping the knot and stealing the net. "Well now..." she could only watch it fly away.

"Oh no!" 2D leapt from the stairs and took off after it, but it was obvious that the net was gone for good.

"I don' 'fink ih's comin' back," Cyan said to Noodle when the woman joined her to watch it fly off. "I don' 'fink '_e's _comin' back neither."

There really is no escape from Point Nemo. 2D tumbled off the edge of the island and into the water. "I'll go get him," Noodle walked off.

Cyan went and settled on the stairs. "Now wot?"

"Have you ever tried suicide?" said a despondent voice from above her.

"Excuse me?" she turned to see a depressed looking seagull sitting on the guard rail.

"Suicide. It's a great alternative, not that I know. Can't kill myself, been trying."

"Don't be so down, seagull!" said the pelican sitting near her. "She's new company! Much better than the blokes that were here a few days ago. All they did was shoot at us!"

"And yet one couldn't hit me," the seagull sighed.

"Don't mind seagull, he- *hack* *cough* *cough*!"

"Are yew awrigh'?" Cyan limped up the steps. As she drew closer, she could see the outline of a wrench of some sort in the pelican's pouch. "Yew...do realize t'ere's a tool in yer neck?"

"Oh yes! I saw something shiny on the beach and scooped it right up. It tickles me throat now, can't swallow anything no more."

"Not that you need more food," said the seagull.

"Hey seagull! Why do you live in the sea and not the bay?"

"Why...?"

"Because then you'd be a bagel!" the larger bird erupted in laughter.

"Suicide's not wot I'm leanin' towards," Cyan spoke, "but..." _I wos 'avin' fun earlier. _"Do yew know where I can find some golf balls?"

"Golf balls?" said the seagull. "There should be a cache around here somewhere. Millionaire yacht-owners are always hitting them off their boats, and all trash is drawn here."

"I saw something small, round, and white down by the pier!" said the pelican. "Go and see."

" 'Fanks!" she called as she ran off in her hobble-lope. She had never been all around the island. The lighthouse was locked, it smelled like a dead walrus in the record shack, and there was nothing to do on the jetties. She had seen the pier from a window in the manor, but never actually ventured down. There was no stairway or bridge up to it just yet, the end of it being taped off by yellow construction tape. There were some buildings up there, but she couldn't tell what they were. The beach sloped a little into the water, so she was able to wade among the pillars and not fall off the edge. "Ah ha!" she peeked under an overhang created by an upheaval, and nestled underneath was a surplus supply of golf balls.

She used her borrowed shirt as a basket and loaded them in. Then she'd dumped them on the shore and go back. Soon she had almost a hundred and barely made a dent in the stash. _Water currents must o' brought t'em all ta t'is over'ang. 'Opefully, t'ey'll come righ' back. _She started reloading her shirt again with the ones on land when a shadow fell over her. She looked up to see a lean and towering figure on the pier. The sun was right behind it, so her sight wasn't the best to get a good glimpse.

" 'Ello? !" she called up to it. "Who are yew? Do yew work 'ere? Is te pier gonna be open soon?"

It said nothing, only watched her. Cyan, a little frightened by this situation, dropped her shirt-load, only for the balls to go rolling back into the water. "No! No-no-no!" she dove after them, skinning her legs on the sharp ground. More like cutting them wide open. "Damn! Motha' fucka'!" she didn't care if Noodle heard her cussing.

As soon as she regained her composure, she realized something truly terrifying. The figure wasn't on the pier anymore...it was right beside her. She slid back, scraping her hands up something fierce. "Oh shi-!"

A red skinned hand with dagger-like nails opened itself in front of her face. A golf ball lay in the palm.

"F...fer me?"

The figure nodded, its face now shadowed by the pier.

" 'Fank yew," she shakily took the gift.

"Cyan!" Noodle's voice echoed off the water. "Where are you? !"

When the girl looked back, the figure was gone.

* * *

><p>"Come on! Jus' play!" Cyan urged Murdoc, holding out a golf club to him. "Ih'll be Plastic Tournament!"<p>

"I don' play golf," he muttered.

"If yew don' play, yu'll be open fer casualties."

"I'll take meh chances," he settled deeper into his armchair.

"Startin' a new game," 2D flipped a page in Noodle's notebook. "Water 'azards open, dead-zone," he pointed to Murdoc, "and obstacles." They had rearranged the chairs. "Game on!"

Cyan placed her ball on the starting point, marked by a guitar pick. "Four!" she swung hard. The ball flew off like a bullet...and...right...for... "MISTAH MUHDOC!"

All they heard was a loud grunt and a cracking noise. The bassist slumped over in his chair before falling to the carpet. Russel rushed in at the sound of the scream and erupted into laughter. Cyan clutched her golf club so tightly her knuckles turned white. She walked over to unconscious man, poking him a few times in the shoulder before flipping him over to his back. His eyes shot open once he settled. "Oh! Meh 'ead!"

"I'm sorry! But if yew'd been standin' wiff us, yew'd a been behind me!"

He clutched the hit mark and shakily rose to his feet. "No more golf. EVER!" He groaned loudly and, while clutching his whole head, limped off to the bookshelf.

"Aww, now we can' play," 2D whined.

"Well...one good 'fing came ou' o' t'is."

"Wot's tha'? Muhdoc now 'as a dent in te 'ead?"

"No," she twirled a set of keys on a ring around on her finger, "I got te keys ta te light'ouse."

* * *

><p>okay, for the record, I don't know if that's the right 'four' you're supposed to yell in golf, just bear with me. Also, about the Evangelist, I know the Sweepstakes picture shows it having green skin on its arms, but the picture of what it looks like under the robes (designed after the Sweepstakes picture, I believe) shows it to have red skin. So just picture the Sweepstakes image with red skin. Also, isn't that un-robed picture creepy? We can agree on that, right?<p>

I like how Murdoc's the dead-zone. hit a ball over there, you're not getting it back

Does anyone out there just adore the seagull and pelican? i love those guys!


	6. The Shadow of Sun Moon Stars

The Shadow of Sun Moon Stars

I am the voice of Dragons past

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>Murdoc hadn't been seen for a few days, but heard, that was a different story. His cussing and banging noises reverberated throughout the whole island. The seagull and the pelican had started discussing it. They really weren't bad company.<p>

"So...what are you doing to entertain yourself today?" asked the seagull in his monotone voice.

"Noodle an' I are gonna 'ave a secret sleepover in te light'ouse."

"But you just told us!" said the pelican. "It's not a secret anymore!"

"She means a secret from the green-skinned man," said the seagull. "She doesn't want _him _finding out. So please, if you would, keep your beak shut."

"Oh, okay! What's a sleepover?"

"Ih'd be like if yew went ova' ta anotha' island an' stayed awhile," Cyan explained.

"I can only wish," the seagull muttered. "And, oh, how much I wish."

"Yew two seem really familiar inna..cosmic sorta way."

"So it's been said."

* * *

><p>"You think sharks ever come around here?" Noodle was sitting at the kitchen table with Russel, playing with her cereal.<p>

"That whale hasn' come back afta I threw it."

"That thing's probably dead." She sighed deeply.

"What's the matter, baby-girl?"

"I fear for her, I really do. I'm afraid Cyan's turning into Murdoc."

He chuckled. "Cyan's turnin' into Murdoc? I don't think so. That girl is the furthest thing from his ways."

"You know, she stole 2D's pills."

The smile from his face faded. "Then what 'bout the ones you managed to get for him?"

"She had dropped those on the way out. I found them on the floor in front of the lift after she left." After a few moments of silence, she pushed her half-empty bowl of soggy breakfast away. "I can tell we're influencing her because she prefers our company over Murdoc-san's, but I truly wish she would learn to love 2D-kun."

"That girl's gotta grudge that runs deep."

"He's her father! He may not be the best example, and may not know anything about being one, but I feel it would be very healthy for them to interact in a positive way. That's why I've invited 2D on our night out. I hope I can get them to interact and no blood be shed."

"You sure tha's a good idea?"

"We'll hang out on the beach, maybe go to the pier, sleep in the lighthouse, what could go wrong?"

He rubbed the back of his head. "We do let her get away with a lot, don' we? She beats up on 'D for no apparent reason."

"What do you expect me to do punishment-wise? I can't hit her."

"She hasn' really told us anythin' 'bout where she comes from and stuff-"

"_I've tried_, but she sort of has a panic attack every time I ask."

* * *

><p>Cyan undid the knot of her do-rag, allowing the flimsy scrap to drop to the floor. She stood in front of the mirror in her and Noodle's room. That spiky blue hair in its cute choppy cut. She narrowed her eyes at her reflection. <em>Ih mocks me! T'is disease. <em>She ran her fingers through it, watching it stick up at odd angles. _Years of ridicule..._ she patted it back down..._yew're te reason she's gone, te reason all t'is 'appened._

The sound of the lift doors made her panic. Noodle stepped in as the girl leaned down to swipe her do-rag. "Oh, are you not wearing that now?"

"I still wear ih." She tied it back in place.

"You should go without it, your hair is cute. It matches your eyes perfectly." When her roommate didn't respond, she continued talking. "So what's the plan? Are we dragging the cot out there?"

"No, we just need a surplus of pillows and blankets. I've been up there already, there's plenty of room, we just have fit around all that weird equipment up there."

"What kind of equipment?"

"Broadcastin' stuff. Don' know why 'e'd keep ih locked up. Nuffin' special."

* * *

><p>It was a crisp clear night. The air was comfortable enough. The stars, with no lights or planes to block them, shimmered merrily in the cloudless sky. Three dark shapes slipped out from the entrance and began to quietly descend the stairs.<p>

"Where you going? !" the pelican shouted.

2D yelped and slid down the rest of the way. Cyan managed to dodge his falling body by climbing over the rail and hanging off the other side.

"You daft buzzard," said the seagull, still not showing any emotion, "they're sneaking out. The sleepover, remember?"

"Oh yeah! That's right!"

Cyan rolled her eyes and pulled herself back over the rail. Her wrist twinged painfully, causing her to intake a sharp breath, but Noodle didn't hear. "Please stay quiet, we don' wanna get caught," she said to the pelican.

"Sorry-sorry! Ya startled me is all."

"We star'led yew? !" 2D shouted from the bottom of the stairs. "I landed on meh neck!"

"For sneaking out, this isn't going very well," Noodle helped him to his feet.

" 'Fanks Noods."

They scurried to the pier, walking crouched over so their hands could brush the ground. There was no lights out front here except for the moon. There was a single light on at the pier. The circular red and white building at the very end. It looked like something out of the carnival. 2D propped an abandoned board up against the unfinished portion. He held it in place as Noodle climbed up, then Cyan. However, when he started, she knocked it aside so he fell back to the ground.

"Oops!" she called down.

A firm hand grabbed her shoulder. The memories flashed again and in her state of shock, the small girl struck out. Noodle let go and backed away before the strike could hit her. Anger and annoyance were replaced with deep concern at the sight of the paranoid fear dying in Cyan's eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Nuffin'."

"I really wish you wouldn't torture him, he's just trying to enjoy the night, like us."

"Yew shewdn' 'ave brought 'im along."

2D heaved himself up onto the wooden platform. He looked past the two females to see the light. " 'Ey, she mus' be in!"

"Who?" Noodle glanced at the booth.

"Evangelist, sometimes she's 'ere, otha' times she ain'. Don' know where she goes." He got up and hurried down the walk. "Evangelist! Yew in t'ere?"

Noodle tugged at Cyan's shirt. "Is this the first you're hearing of this?"

"Yeah, Mistah Muhdoc neveh said anyfin' 'bout someone called Evangelist." But her mind was wandering off to the tall figure that had given her the golf ball. Had that been Evangelist? "Wot does she look like?" she called to 2D as they started toward him.

He had climbed into the booth and was looking under the counters. "Extremely tawl, skinny, wears white robes."

Noodle leaned over the counter. "Then would she really be hiding under the counters?"

"Guess not..." His hidden eyes looked around the booth. "Yew know...we cewd play. Ih's a shootin' game, ih's real easy."

_How to shoot a gun is the last thing Cyan needs to know. _"The target stand looks like Plastic Beach," she realized.

"Yeah...I know."

A passing shadow caught the eye of the only one currently aware of their surroundings. Cyan turned her head to see it slip off the end of the pier. But it didn't look like it had fallen, or even jumped. It just stepped off. She took off down the walk, sliding to a halt at the precarious edge. Because of the shadow from the walk, she couldn't see what was below. It looked pitch black. _Keep yerself calm. _"Evangelist?" she called softly. "Ih's me, te girl yew gave te golf ball to. Where are yew? I want ta meet yew."

No response or movement. She used her foot to locate the board and slid down. It probably wasn't the best idea on her part. As soon as she slipped out of the light, her chest wound tightly, a panic attack nigh. "Evangelist?" Her foot slipped into the water, the distinct splash seemed to echo. "Are yew 'ere? Please come ou'." Something darted past her, and, without even making contact, she felt the pure evil. It plummeted her body into tremors. Whatever this thing was, it wasn't Evangelist. "Go away!"

"Cyan? !"

"Where are ya, love? !"

With agility fueled by a massive adrenaline rush, she shot back up the plank, the pain in her leg not even registering. _Te Nightmare Men! T'ey found me! _Even though that thought was impossible on so many levels, the fear that they had truly found her was overwhelming. "Noodle! T'ey're 'ere! T'ey found me!"

"Who did?" she peered over the edge. "No one's there, Cyan-chan."

"Yer wrong! I know t'ey're down t'ere! I can feel te 'ate!"

"Okay...I think it's bedtime."

"I'm not a li'le kid!"

* * *

><p>"Yew 'fink anyone can see t'em?" 2D bent his long fingers into a shape for his shadow puppets. The three of them were cramped among the equipment. A balanced flashlight worked as their source for the puppets.<p>

"Keep in mind of where we are, 2D-kun," said Noodle.

Cyan was messing around with the wiring under the giant bulb. She clenched a blue wire in her teeth and began sawing back and forth. The covering came undone, allowing her access to the wires beneath. She picked at them with her fingernails, studying whatever sparks flew.

" 'Ey, tha's a good one!"

"But I'm not doing anything."

The flashlight flickered ominously. Cyan lifted her head to stare out into the open air. A dark figure was clinging to the wall. If it had been a shadow puppet, it would be the greatest achievement in the art. But those glowing red eyes betrayed that. 2D yelped and grew entangled in the wires as he tried to flee. "Ih's 'im! Get away! 'E'll steal yer soul!"

Cyan almost had her teeth ripped out as the wire was caught around her father's ankle. "Tha's wot I saw!" It moved so smoothly, a slender fingered hand gripping the open portion of the window, reaching for them. Cyan grabbed the wire and pushed the severed portions together. A whirring sound made the dark figure stop, and the blinding light of the giant bulb caused it to release a horrible shriek. Something outside shot down, pushing the dark one away.

"Turn ih off!" the light starting rotating, dragging 2D around in a circle. The buzzing sound became louder as the old wires sprang to life with the electrical surge. The small room began to grow warmer from the heat being cast. Even the open window wasn't enough to balance it. Little heat wave ripples were visible as they collided with the cooler night air. " 'Elp!" Noodle finally untangled the wires when he came near her.

They all shrank back, silent except for the humming of the bulb and their breathing. Cyan's heart throbbed in her ears, she was afraid the blood would build up and block off her hearing. There was a distinct tapping noise somewhere above them, and since they were in the top room, it was easy to figure out where it was coming from.

"Ih's on te roof," Cyan whispered as low as she could manage. "I fink ih's scared o' te light." It was like the monster under bed. It was waiting for them to show themselves, then it would attack. _Wot do we do? Wait fer mornin'? _

"I..." 2D inched toward the window, "I fink ih's Evangelist. Te Boogieman wewdn' stay afta' bein' 'it by tha' light. Spooked 'im."

Cyan's jaw dropped in complete disbelief. _Te Boogieman? Tha's jus' a stupid story ta scare li'le kids! I knew t'is cewdn' be real! _"Now tha's jus' a cruel joke! I may be jus' be a kid, but I'm almos' nine! I don' believe in t'ose stories. 'Be good or te Boogieman will getcha.' 'Don' talk ta strangas, one migh' be te Boogieman.' I'm not stupid, despite yew," she looked over at 2D, "bein' meh father. An' I- AHH!" she fell back as a red skinned hand reached through the window.

The white gas-masked face of Evangelist was hanging upside, the rest of it out of view on the roof top. No sounds escaped her, no breathing, no moans, nothing to even signal she was alive. But she was, a creature unlike anything Cyan had ever seen, right here in her view. She made no movements either, just choosing to watch them through the white eye lenses of her mask.

"Is 'e gone?" 2D asked.

The Evangelist tapped her nails against the rim of the window.

"Le's run fer ih, back ta te manor."

_'Ow is awl o' t'is real?_


	7. Survivalists

Survivalists

I am the voice of Dragons past

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>Venturing outside at night was now out of the question. It wasn't a rule, more of a silently agreed-upon safety guideline. As soon as the sun started to set, Cyan retreated back to the sanctuary of the manor. But the daytime was spent trying to track down Evangelist. She scaled the pier each morning, searching the few hiding places up there for the mysterious masked figure that had protected them, but she was never around. The booth was always empty with no sign of anyone ever being there. Breakfast was becoming an interesting topic as well. The food of choice got stranger each day. One morning, it was spaghetti, another, rice, and this morning, tacos.<p>

"Are we doin' breakfast from 'round te world?" Cyan asked.

Murdoc walked in at that moment, saw what was on the table, groaned loudly, and walked out.

"Come on Muds!" Russel called after him. "It's not prison food!" When he didn't come back, the man turned his attention to Cyan's question. "We're runnin' out of food, tha's why breakfast is goin' exotic. We need a grocery run."

"Ih's not like take a left on te ocean current," said 2D, "Muhdoc goes to te mainland fer supplies when we need 'em."

"You'd think he'd have stuff air-dropped," said Noodle.

" 'E does, but wiff so many people 'ere now, we're runnin' ou' o' food a lot quicker. Te delivery company 'as strict schedules 'bout comin' ou' 'ere, t'ey won' change 'em."

"So we 'ave ta deal wiff ih 'till Mistah Muhdoc goes shoppin'?" said Cyan. "I don' fink we'll make ih."

* * *

><p>"You could just survive on what washes around," the seagull suggested.<p>

"We're not gonna eat dead fish," Cyan shook her head firmly.

"Awww," the pelican moaned, "I'd love to eat some fish. Haven't eaten in days."

" 'Cause o' te wrench or wotever ih is?"

"I didn't mean the dead stuff," the seagull spoke up before the pelican could respond. "Try fishing, there's a tackle box by the jetty. This place is a breeding ground for fish. The toxins may kill them, but it's a haven for a short while."

"Buffet abound, huh? Tha' why yew two 'aven't left?"

"I don't know why I don't just leave. I could just fly away, but I don't. It's troubling."

"I can't fly 'cause I'm solid," the pelican explained. "Haven't moved in days. My pouch weighs too much."

Cyan rubbed her head, feeling a headache coming on. These two were just too much. All the seagull wanted to do was leave, or die, all the pelican wanted was food, but he couldn't go get it himself because of the tool in his throat. "Pelican, yew fink if yer fed, te wrench will pop ou' ?"

"Maybe..."

"I know where some fish is, if I can get yew some, maybe yew'll cough ih up." She knew where some fish was, but getting them wouldn't be easy. Maybe it was because they were Murdoc's fish, or maybe it was because they were piranhas. She returned to the lift to travel up to the study. _I fink I'll jus' need one. _The lift dinged as the doors opened. She poked her head out, searching out for any witnesses. She could hear noises in the kitchen, but figured it was only Russel. Once breakfast is over, everyone splits.

She approached the fish tank, noticing, humorously, that the socks were still uneaten and now were covered in algae. She lifted the lid and watched the fish intently, waiting for the chance to strike. _Jus' one..._

"You got any flam?"

She shrieked and reeled back. The kitchen noises stopped, so she scurried to the shelter of the chairs.

"I love flam."

_Wot te 'ell?_

"I love a tasty meat snack."

She waited until the noises started again before crawling back over. The wounds on her legs smarted a little. She peeked up over the bottom of the tank. " 'Ello?"

"I'm not a vegetarian."

"O' course not, yer awl piranhas."

"Flam. I love flam." It sounded like it was coming from the little pink one. She kind of liked that fish, mostly because he looked different from the others. Murdoc didn't, she didn't know why. "You got any flam?"

"Where wewd I find some?"

"Check the desk."

She did so, wandering over to the wooden desk. Minding the squid, she starting pulling open different drawers until she found a large can of what the fish was asking for. She opened it with the little spinning stick. There was a pair of tongs next to the tank, so she broke off a little piece of the meat-stuff and dropped it in the tank. One of the brown ones scooped up, then spat it back out.

"Huh..."

She tried again, a different brown eating it before spitting it again. Slightly frustrated, she waited for the perfect moment to drop a chunk down to the little pink one. It darted out of the can to eat it up.

_Lewks like ih'll 'ave ta be yew._

She started strategically dropping the chunks, drawing him closer and closer to the surface before successfully grabbing him in the tongs. Not wanting him to suffocate, she delivered a sharp strike to kill him instantly. _Maybe Mistah Muhdoc won' be 'oo pissed at me. _She held the carcass by pinching his tail and went back to the lift. _I'm pretty good at fishin', shewd try ih fer real. _

The lift came to a halt, but it wasn't at the entrance. Noodle stepped in from their room, her nose wrinkling at the scent of the piranha. "And why do you have one of Murdoc's fish?"

"Ta feed te pelican."

"Cyan-chan, please don't. If you feed it, it'll never leave."

"But I 'ave ta! 'E'll cough up ta wrench an' t'en 'e can fish fer 'imself."

"...I didn't understand a thing you just said, but I figure it'll be easier to leave you to it."

Cyan twisted her head to see the woman's expression. "Yew seem...tired."

"I've been having nightmares."

"Really? I don' 'ear yew at night."

"That's because I wake up crying, not screaming."

The lift doors opened to the entrance. A gentle sea breeze washed over them...and the scent of dead fish doubled. The seagull was gone now, but the pelican remained, swaying with the wind. "I got somefink fo' ya," Cyan caught his attention.

"Oh really? That's great! I love presents."

The girl climbed up on the rail so she was level with the bird. Almost nine, but horribly undersized. She noticed Noodle tense up at the sight of her balancing on the rail. The woman's body was wound up like a spring, any sign of falling and she would leap. It was a nice feeling, the knowledge that someone cared enough to help her in her time of need. "Open up." The pelican opened his maw for the fish. Cyan kept one foot on the middle bar of the rail and used her other leg to hook the top bar so she could stand and peer in. It was a spanner, lodged right over the base of his tongue, preventing any food bigger than her fist from slipping through.

"Oh God," Noodle moaned and turned away as the girl reached into the bird's mouth. Cyan could see a small grin on her face though. It was a humorous situation. Playing doctor-dentist-orthodontist with a giant sea bird. Her small fingers curled around the metal tool. She dropped the fish in and yanked the tool at the same time. The bird let out a yell, but still managed to swallow the fish. "I got you," Noodle curled her arms around Cyan as she almost fell off the rail. "What is that?"

"A spanna'." She shook the tool to clear it of slime, causing Noodle to yell and jump back. Cyan climbed back over the rail to safety, checking her prize over. "Cewd be useful. Fink I'll 'ang on ta ih." She pocketed the spanner and turned to the pelican. "You bettah?"

"Very much, thanks!"

"No problem. 'Ey Noodle, te seagull gave meh an idea earlier. 'E said ta try fishin'. We can catch our own food an' use ih 'til Mistah Muhdoc goes onna grocery trip. We can play 'Survivorman'." They didn't get many channels on the television out here, but that show had taught her everything she knew about survival. Noodle and Russel had taken a liking to it as well, but after the star starting eating bugs, 2D decided he didn't like the show. "We'll fish, 'unt birds, we'll need some bait first."

"Do you think it's safe to eat the things around here?"

"Tha's a thought, we'll purify 'em."

"How?"

"I don' know, Russel'll figure somefink ou', 'e's good at stuff like tha."

"He's good at cooking, he's not a miracle worker."

* * *

><p>It was easy finding a box, the east side of the island was built out of them. So, together with a cord, a small pipe, and a dead hat-wearing jellyfish Noodle had poked around for near the water, they had a simple trap. The two hid under the stairway, laying on their stomachs.<p>

"I wondah if seagull tastes like chicken?" said Cyan.

"You know what I'm wondering?" Noodle peered upward toward the manor. "I'm wondering what Murdoc does in his lair all day. Look at _us. _We're trapping seagulls to keep ourselves entertained, what does he do?"

"Get's shit-faced."

"Cyan!" she gasped.

The girl turned her head. "Yew know ih's true!"

"Did you have to use that terminology?"

"Yew didn' cuss when yew were li'le?"

"Well...yeah, okay I did. But it was Murdoc's fault! I was still learning English. I didn't know any better."

The cord was suddenly ripped out of Cyan's hands. She hissed in pain at the burning sensation, but it was masked over by her jubilation that their dinky rig had actually worked. She pushed herself up, only to bang her head into the stair step above her. "Ah! Motha' o' freakin'-ah-ah!" She crawled over Noodle to see their prize, but was greeted by a sight that both infuriated and depressed her. 2D was sprawled out on the dirty ground, his foot wound up in the cord.

Noodle shook her head, grinning. "Oh 2D, I wonder, I really do."

"M'sorry love," he mumbled, still face down in the ground.

She bit her thumb nail in thought. "Maybe we should just try our hand at fishing."

* * *

><p>Russel was just beginning to feel a pang of loneliness. He didn't give a crap about Murdoc hiding away, but the fact that the whole island was silent perplexed him. The other three occupants were nowhere in the study, the armchairs vacant. He listened intently for sounds of shouting or laughter, distant or close. Nothing. The engineer had left the island a long time ago, so there was no more banging sounds. It was quiet, truly and completely quiet.<p>

_I hope nobody's dead._

He decided to venture out and locate his island-mates. The ones he cared about, at least. He peeked into the studio. Empty. The lift came right to him, so that meant it wasn't busy.

_Are they even in the manor?_

He checked 2D's room, the engine room, and even slipped down to the broom cupboard, checking that the locks were still in place. He even dared to go into Murdoc's room, confirming what he'd thought.

_Who da'hell would hide in here anyway?_

Maybe that was it. Maybe they were playing hide-and-seek. Would Cyan allow her father to play? If she didn't, he most likely would be whining about it.

_Maybe baby-girl finally got 'em to get along._

He stepped out of the lift at the entrance. The seagull and pelican were perched on the rails, the larger of the two gabbing to no end. He normally ignored the both of them, choosing to believe reality, but he figured he could deal with the insanity for a bit. "Hey, you two seen the others?"

"You mean the two blues and the woman?" said the seagull. "They're down on the jetty, catching dinner." His voice seemed...slightly happier, as if he were relieved that he wouldn't have to listen to the pelican complain anymore about being hungry.

"Thanks."

Noodle stood at the ready, prepared to cast out her line. Cyan was hanging off the dock, her head under the water. She grunted and lifted herself back up. " 'Bout five feet ou', try t'ere." She pulled off her goggles, wiping the inside out. Noodle tossed the small buoy into the water.

" 'Ey Russ!" 2D waved at the approaching man. "Wotcha wont?"

"I just haven't heard ya all day, just makin' sure everyone's okay."

"We're fine," Noodle settled down into a sitting position. "I haven't felt this relaxed in a while." She tugged at the back of Cyan's shirt. "Take this for me." She handed off the pole before rising and coaxing Russel back to the beach. "I think I may be close to breakthrough with them. They haven't said anything to each other this whole time, but that means that no harsh words have been exchanged."

"Baby-girl, I respect you fo' what yer tryin' to do, but I don't think Cyan's quite ready. I'm jus' sayin', don't force 'em."

"You worry too much," she teased. "Everything's going fine." She wandered back down the jetty.

"The calm 'fore the storm."

* * *

><p><strong>August 18th, it's my Birthday!<strong>

i realize Noodle's dropping her honorifics. Even though it's been on and off, she's lived with these men a long time, it could be possible she would start getting more comfortable with English terms.


	8. Therapy

Therapy

I am the voice of Dragons past

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>HEARING CAPABILITIES BACK ONLINE<p>

There was a distinct clicking noise, then whirring. The gears began pushing one another, bringing her movement.

SIGHT ACTIVATING

Her once-dark vision turned to thick static before clearing away. It was dark where she was. _Location: charging station inside cupboard. Battery power: maximum. Wounds: negative. Fully functioning status. Awaiting orders._

"Yew in there?" Her sight focused onto the shape of a man standing before her. "I 'ad an agreement fer yew ta be locked up, but I've gotta job ta do, so yew need ta be awake."

"Awaiting orders," she stated.

* * *

><p>"Give a man a fish, 'e eats fer te day, teach a man ta fish, 'e eats fer a lifetime." Cyan steadied her arm, the good arm, not the injured one. Which was unfortunate really. She was right-handed and that wrist was shot. "I wonda' if ih's te same wiff weapons?" They had tried using the dartboard earlier, but broke it. They had chucked it out the window and now were using a target painted on the wall of the study. Cyan lined up her shot.<p>

"Give a man a knife, he has a weapon, teach a man to use it, he has protection," Russel tried to translate for her.

"I guess ih works." She flung the flick knife at the wall, burying it between the second and third ring.

"Not bad, but I see your arm shaking really badly," said Noodle, retrieving the knife.

"Tha's 'cause I'm righ'-'anded, but te wrist is bad."

* * *

><p>Cyborg only picked up her usual guns. The bigger ones stayed behind unless she really needed them, but this job shouldn't be too hard. <em>Protect Plastic Beach while Master is away to the mainland. <em>Simple enough, but she was having different thoughts. She had been created to be Murdoc's body guard. These were strange orders being given. He was leaving...and she wasn't going with him. _These are the orders. But they are almost illogical to follow._

" 'Urry up!" Murdoc ordered, his foot sticking between the lift doors to keep them from closing. "T'ere are some new people who need ta know 'bout ya before I can go."

* * *

><p>"I wanna try somefin' challengin'," Cyan pressed the button for the lift. "When te doors start ta open, I'll 'frow te knife and try te get ih, blade firs', ta 'it te doors an' fall."<p>

"Are you sure that's safe?" asked Noodle.

"We're awl 'ere, an' Mistah Muhdoc's pro'lly down in 'is lair like 'e always is." The churning of the gears told them the lift was rising. "Actually, new plan. When te doors open, I'll go fer te light bulb."

"Then I'll be impressed."

The lift chimed, alerting them that it had risen to their floor. The doors slid open. Cyan only focused on the swinging light bulb, not realizing the two figures who were stepping out. She threw the knife with a cry of triumph.

" 'EY!" Murdoc shouted as the blade sailed past him by a hair and buried itself in the wall. "Watch ih!"

"Whoa, tha' wos a close one!" Cyan started laughing, not seeing the almost slow-motion rising of Cyborg's gun. When she did notice, she thanked the instant adrenaline rush that shot her to the side to avoid the bullets. " 'Ih wos a joke! Don' take ih seriously!"

"Murdoc, you lying bastard!" Noodle spat. "You promised she would stay locked up!"

"Listen love," Murdoc crossed the room to stand in front of her, trying to scare her down by his height, "I'm gonna be off ta the mainland soon, I needed 'er awake ta keep Plastic Beach safe. I know the agreement, but wewd ya be 'appy if ya came back an' 2-Dents wos dead?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I'm goin' ta the mainland an' I'm takin' yew an' the runt with meh."

"So...you're taking me and Cyan with you, but leaving 2D and Russel with Cyborg? Can't say I'm comfortable with this."

"Either I'm 'ere or she is."

Cyan pushed the button to open the lift doors. The knife was still snug in the wall, about halfway up the blade. _Not bad. _She stood on her tip toes, her fingers just managing to curl over the handle. She couldn't get a true grip, so she simply pulled until it tilted enough to grab the whole handle. It still wouldn't loosen completely, so she put a foot on the wall and yanked. It came loose, flinging her onto the floor. "Now tha's a good knife."

"Yew said yew want a certain paint! Yer comin' with meh!" Murdoc argued.

His back was to her, a perfect target the girl couldn't miss. _I cewd pro'lly close meh eyes an' 'frow, smell 'im a mile away. _She gripped the knife handle, shutting one eye to take aim. She wasn't really going to do it, killing wasn't in her nature. But not everyone knew that. A bullet whisked past her, clanging into the lift wall. Cyborg readjusted her aim for the second shot.

"Wot are yew doin'? !" Murdoc roared. "Don' shoot at 'er unless I tell ya to!"

"Control yo' robot, Muds!" said Russel.

Cyan jammed against a random button, collapsing to the floor once the doors shut. "Tha'...wasn'...enjoyable." Her chest started aching from her erratic breathing. Her arms trembled, her lungs were sore, and her vision started to blur. _Crap, I'm 'avin' a panic attack. _After this realization, she gave it some thought. _Weird, t'ose usually 'appen differently. _The lift chimed and the doors opened, revealing the entrance. She rose to her feet, a very difficult action since she felt numb and couldn't get enough air into her lungs. She stumbled out, gripping the guard rail. The pelican and seagull were gone.

"Run fer ih!" 2D's voice rang from above.

She looked up to see he was on the patio, leaning over the fence. "Wot? !" she shouted back up.

"Cyborg's comin' fer ya!"

When she heard the lift chime, she flew into a flip over the top of the guard rail. She landed on the hard plastic ground, the wind ripped from her lungs and an intense pain spread through her shoulder. She managed to roll over under the stairs. The Cyborg's boots clicked as she stepped out. She gripped her gun tightly, eyes searching for the person who was a threat to her master.

_Tha' 'fing's a psycho! _As soon as she could move, Cyan darted out and moved toward the jetty. Cyborg lined up her shot, but was knocked aside by Noodle, who had taken a flying leap at her.

"If you hurt that girl, I'll tear you apart, wire by wire!" she threatened.

The robot girl pushed her aside, looking around for the prey. She had taken notice of a major limp that the prey possessed, obviously injured. _Easier to track and take down._

Cyan limped onto the wooden planks. She had grabbed a fishing pole, though not a very good choice, it was the closest thing to a blunt object she could pick up at the moment. She glanced back to the beach to see the Cyborg marching toward her, gun at her side. Noodle was further up the beach, trying in vain to pry up an aluminum bat from the ground.

"Can'cha' take a joke?" Cyan made herself smaller, crouching on the end of the jetty.

Cyborg stopped a few feet away from her target. The gun rose slowly, the barrel pointed directly at the child's chest. In a final attempt at a strike back, Cyan swung the fishing pole, only succeeding in hooking the line on the gun, but it remained in the robot's hand. _Oh no..._ But before her life could be blown away in an explosion of fire, a loud metal clang interrupted the action. Cyborg started to turn, but another swing of the bat had her toppling over into the water.

"Don't ever push me, you rust bucket!" Noodle swung the bat around for good measure.

Cyan smiled at the sight. The sound of her fishing line reminded her of where it was connected. She started reeling it in, taking note of the extreme pain in her arm. The shotgun rose from the water.

"Let's get off the dock," Noodle nudged her back onto the beach.

A hand gripped the wood. _Initiating heating core. Removing interior water. _Cyborg heaved herself onto the jetty. Her skin was beat red, the water rising off of her in swirls of steam.

Cyan rested the handle of the gun in her hand, the barrel on her shoulder, and started marching back and forth on the dock. "T'is land is my land, ih isn' yer land! I gotta shotgun, an' yew ain' got one! If yew don' get off, I'll blow yer 'ead off! T'is land wos made jus' fer me!"

"Now tha' is creepy!" 2D was pointing at Cyborg from the entrance, Russel and Murdoc standing behind him.

Noodle pinched the skin between her eyes. "We're all going to kill each other."

* * *

><p>"I'm a doctor, let me see." Murdoc tried to pry off Cyan's patched jacket.<p>

" 'Ands off, ya creep!"

"As crazy as it sounds, he's right," Noodle reasoned with the child. "He does have a medical degree, and is probably the only person who remotely knows what to do about your injuries.'

"I'm fine..." she growled.

"No you're not!" the woman pressed on. "You're injured, you need medical help and Murdoc is the best we can do."

The man narrowed his eyes. "...Thanks."

Reluctantly, Cyan allowed them to remove her jacket, something she had actually pinched from Noodle's old things. They were all situated in the study, Russel standing guard over Cyborg, who was sitting obediently in one of the chairs, facing them. 2D was holding a medical kit open, sitting next to Murdoc to give him access to the equipment.

"Oh my God..." Noodle whispered in disbelief.

Cyan kept her jacket pressed against her bare chest, but her shoulders and back were exposed. Bruises covered almost every inch of her skin. There were few scars, but the ones that were there looked as though they had been caused by a switchblade. Welts and lashes decorated her lower back. Her ribs were very prominent, even for someone her age and size.

" 'Ere's our problem," Murdoc prodded the bump on her black and blue shoulder. "Pulled yer arm outta yer socket. Easily fixed." He swiped 2D's admiral hat and handed it to the girl. "Bite on this." She did so, squealing as he grabbed the limb and twisted it back in place.

"We have a serious problem," Noodle spoke up. "If _that,_" she pointed at Cyborg, "is going to be staying awake, and we're going with you, I think we need to understand each other a little better."

Cyan stretched out her arm. " 'Ow so?"

"I suggest a therapy session."

"Fuck tha'!" Murdoc jumped to his feet. "I didn' need one when I wos fifteen, an' twenty-seven, I don' need one now...oh, an' thirty-one. Damn court orders."

"I truly think it'll help us adjust if we talk. Completely, truly, honest words. Rearrange the furniture, make a circle."

Russel immediately got to it, pushing the chairs around into a circle. Cyborg wouldn't move off of hers, so he just pushed it with her on it. She didn't seem to mind. "That good?" he asked Noodle.

"Perfect, everyone take a seat." She took the role of the group psychiatrist. "We obviously have different views, I think it would be healthy to express how we feel."

" 'Bout wot?" 2D asked.

"About anything."

"Well... te sea air's been makin' me feel ill fer te past few days, or maybe tha's te tar smell. T'ere's a leak in meh room an' te mold's growin' on te wall. Te 'eater broke too, so ih's freezin' down t'ere. Meh baffroom smells funny-"

"Quit complainin', ya wuss!" Murdoc spat.

2D pointed an accusing finger at the man. " 'E interrupted me!"

"I said shut ih!"

"Noodle said we cewd speak freely!"

"I don' give a damn wot Noodle said!"

"I'd give a damn if I were you!" Noodle loomed over him, hands on her hips in a threatening way. "You," she pointed at Cyborg, "say whatever it is you feel."

The robot girl tilted her head to the side, the sound of gears whirring as she did so. Her eyes were hidden by her fringe, making it very difficult to tell her mood. She looked at each person in turn, her head moving slightly to indicate this. She finally settled on Noodle. "You know," she said in her synthetic voice, "you'd make a lovely corpse." She grinned widely.

Noodle seemed to deflate. She backed away and almost collapsed in her chair. "No offense...but I'm not going to talk to you anymore."

"That was messed up," Russel muttered.

"Can I go?" Cyan asked.

"No one leaves until we all say something," said Noodle.

Murdoc and 2D started arguing again, their voices raising higher in volume with each sentence. A punch was thrown, so Russel did his best to separate the two while Noodle coached. Cyborg just sat in her chair, watching them intensely. The whole island began to seem full of shouting. Cyan stood up suddenly, facing the others. They stopped everything they were doing, Murdoc halfway through another punch. She spoke one sentence before disappearing into the lift.

"My name is Aisling."

* * *

><p>"Ih's a pretty name, why wewdn' she want ta tell us? Ashley-"<p>

"Ih's not Ashley, moron!" Murdoc slapped 2D in the back of the head. "Ih's _Aisling_, ih's an Irish name. Who'd ya sleep with tha' wos Irish?"

When she realized 2D was actually putting thought into it, Noodle interrupted. "This is good, this is a breakthrough. She's told us her real name, she must be getting more comfortable."

"Or she jus' wanted ta leave."

* * *

><p><em>Why did I do tha'? <em>Cyan was huddled in the fetal position. She had thought about squeezing under Noodle's cot to hide, but knew a panic attack was nigh if she attempted to. The crushing dark existed everywhere, it would never stop following her. _Why did I tell t'em meh name? _She uncurled and made her way to a sheaf of papers she usually kept under her pillows. Her twiddles, as she liked to call them. Like the darkness, inspiration was everywhere.

_Key and cage, the chain that locks it_

_plastic prison in a sea of toxic._

_From distance it looks so welcoming_

_get close enough and then you'll see._

_Floating landfill, made of trash_

_it catches you before you dash._

_Twisted, rusted, metal bars_

_base of rotting planes and cars._

_Then look out to the land you knew_

_wondering, are they missing you?_

_And who out here can hear you screech_

_in the prison of Plastic Beach?  
><em>


	9. The Mainland

The Mainland

I am the voice of Dragons past

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>"Get ready!"<p>

Cyan and Noodle were sitting at random places on the metal staircase. It was almost time to leave for the mainland, but Murdoc was taking forever. So they decided to play around until he was done with whatever it is Murdocs do.

" 'Ere ih comes!" Cyan pushed the slinky over. "Successful!" The metal toy hit the next step, compressed, and fell to the next one. "Fer once t'is toy works!"

Noodle reached out to grab it as it passed by. She missed and could only watch as it continued down the steps. "I don't think we're going to get it back."

"Stop playin' around!" Murdoc's voice echoed up the staircase. "We gotta go!"

"We're waiting on you!" she shouted back down. "Hurry up!"

"The mainland's not goin' nowhere!"

The two girls ascended the staircase back up to the study. They had their few bags piled on the desk. The squid didn't seem to mind being crowded, or inked so they could write their names on the tags. They sunk into some chairs, knowing they couldn't do anything else. Why Murdoc had chosen them to go was never really specified. He had said he was taking them so they could get the right paint. But Noodle felt it was really because they were the only two who weren't too scared or too mellow of Cyborg to just let her get away with what she does. Russel just sort of ignored her.

Out here, the weather was usually warm, so no warmer clothes were really abundant. However, the land probably wouldn't be as promising, and the fact they were traveling by Stylo, under the water, so they were being forced to bundle up. Unfortunately, Cyan didn't really possess the right clothing. The only warm article of clothing she possessed, or _had _possessed, was her plaid shirt. But when Noodle had found mold growing on the hem, that was the end of it. So, the blue-haired child found herself wrapped up in one of 2D's sweaters. Not her first choice, but Noodle didn't have anything, Russel's were too big, and Murdoc...well, no need to explain.

"Here..." Noodle flung a hat that looked like a bumble bee at her. "I hate that do-rag. Do us both a favor."

She smirked, but pulled off her head wear and put on the new one. "Tha' rag wos te bes' I cewd do."

Murdoc walked up from the depths of his lair, his bags and the slinky in hand. "T'is is yers," he waved the toy around, "an' ya ain' gettin' ih back." He slung his bags on the desk, knocking some of theirs off in the process. "Cyborg!" The robot girl wandered in from the kitchen. "Get these down ta the jetty. An' wotch out fer Face-ache, 'kay? 'E might try somthin'."

"Yes Murdoc."

* * *

><p>Russel and 2D were waiting on the beach, watching Cyborg load up the submarine.<p>

"How much ya wanna bet that mosta that stuff is Murdoc's?" said Russel.

" 'Ow much stuff does one guy need? T'ey won' be gone fer long."

"A few days there, few days back. Hope he's got something to keep them all occupied. Their next few days are gonna be hell."

The trio to depart arrived on the scene. Murdoc insisted on some way of recognition for them. Because they lacked phones, or even walkie-talkies, he and Noodle were wearing blood-red neckerchiefs. Cyan, however, was wearing a red cummerbund to keep her sweater in place and wore the matching bow tie backwards around her neck. Where she found it, nobody knew. Murdoc claimed the red around their necks would stand out and they could easily recognize each other. They could find no logic behind the plan, but chose to let him still initiate it.

"We'll be gone a week at the mos'. 'Opefully. Stylo's fueled up?" he asked Cyborg.

"Yes sir."

"Alrigh', get in yew two."

Cyan leapt onto the top of the sub and slipped down the ladder. She had never seen the inside. It looked...uncomfortable. She glanced to the two metal benches behind the captain's chair. _T'is isn' gonna be fun._

"Like ih?" Murdoc stepped down the ladder, Noodle following from above. "Meh pride an' joy-"

"Has sprung a leak," said Noodle, pointing to the rivulets running down the wall. "If this thing's in danger of breaking, I'm not going."

"There's no danga', love. Jus' settle, we'll be there in a few day's time."

* * *

><p>Nobody noticed the strange man paying for a spot at the docks, but they did notice that, after he left, there was no boat in his spot. There was a rope that extended into the water, but nothing else. Different men had spent hours peering into the murky water or poking around with a stick. Nothing.<p>

"Cyan! Look here!" Noodle herded the young girl around the clothes displays. "You'd look good in purple."

"Not meh 'fing."

"I'm-so-bored!" Murdoc complained. "Why did I bring yew two?"

"Ya got me."

"Here," Noodle held up a jacket to Cyan. The torso was jeans material with a zipper, the sleeves were black cotton decorated with neon stars, as was the hood. "More your style?"

"I like ih."

"Great, we can use 2D's sweater as a pillow when we head back." She picked up the clothing pile, both the ones she'd picked for herself and Cyan's. "Next stop, paint store. Then we go for food, then we leave."

The city was cold that day. They figured out it was late winter, early-not-yet-warm-spring when they arrived. The sky was overcast with thick clouds, threatening to unleash a downpour. Peoples' breath rose in little wisps, their jackets wrapped tightly as they went about their business. The three emerged onto the sidewalk. Cyan and Noodle had changed as soon as the sale was final. They found the weather to be a lot more bearable now.

"This way," Murdoc guided them down the street. They had their hoods up, even Cyan who doubled with the bee cap, so no one would recognize them. But that also roused some suspicions. Sure it was cold, but not that cold. So to see a man leading both a woman and a child, one with a bruised face and one who limped heavily, roused some shifty looks. "We'll get yer stupid paint."

"Yew mus' not be a man o' te real world," said Cyan.

"Wot are yew spoutin'?"

"Yew don' like people, yew don' like te weather no matta' wot." She deepened her voice to sound like him. " 'Ih's too 'ot t'day! Ih's too ova'cast, can' see where I'm goin'. T'is bloody rain is a damper on meh mood!' Lighten up once inna while."

"Shut ih, pick a color an' let's go!" They entered the hardware store, making their way to the paint section.

"May I 'elp yew with somthin'?" said a young male employee.

"Bugger off," Murdoc growled, showing his sharp teeth.

"Murdoc!" Noodle hissed before smiling kindly at the young man. "My...sister and I wish to repaint our room. It's currently a gray-blue -we just moved in- and we want something more cheerful."

"I 'ave a few choices in mind. Let me show yew some samples."

Cyan decided that Noodle had the situation under control. And after Murdoc wandered off- something about "goin' fer a cancer stick"- she found herself wandering around the store, looking at the different shelves. She snagged a pen from the counter, doodling on her hand as she wandered. She walked by a display of different sized pipes. Curious, she picked up a few with connectors and started fitting them together. She created a hand-sized y-shape, holding it up to the light. A noise caught her attention, it was music.

_"Oh Stylo_

_Go forth, blossom in your soul_

_When you know your heart is light_

_Electric is the love."_

It was very faint, but she had caught the name 'Stylo'. Still clutching her new toy, she opened the door and poked her head out. The music was louder out here, coming from next door. She walked out and faced the window of the store to her right. There were televisions lined up in the display, each showing the same video. A black car was racing down a desert road, pursued by a chaser. Her eyes widened when she realized who the people in the black car were.

_"Sing yourself_

_Out of depression, rise above_

_I'll be searching if I know your heart_

_Electric is the love."_

"Gotcha!" rough hands grabbed her by the shoulders.

* * *

><p>" 'Ey Noodle!" Murdoc sauntered over to the counter, smelling suspiciously of smoke. "Where's the runt?"<p>

"You mean she's not with you?" a look of horror crept onto her face. "When I didn't see you or her, I figured she was with you."

The man groaned before making his way to the door. "Yew!" he shouted at a poor employee who was on break. "Ya see a small girl with blue eyes? Wearin' a bumble bee cap? Answer damn ih!"

"I-I-I did s-see a li'le g-girl walk out. She w-wos lookin' in te w-window o' te store next d-door."

"Key word 'wos'. Where is she now?"

"A c-couple o' men grabbed 'er. She d-didn' yell or fight...so I figured-"

"Idiot!" he returned to Noodle, who was waiting anxiously. "She's been kidnapped. C'mon." They left the shop and went next door. It was an electronics store. The television screens were currently black as they changed sequence.

"Did she actually come in?" Noodle wondered.

"The kid said she wos lookin' in the window. Mos' likely she wos standin' out there when they grabbed 'er." He went back outside, head pointed downward as he wandered around. He continued this for some time, toes scuffing the pavement.

"Ma'am?" a man wearing a manager's tag tapped Noodle on the shoulder. "I mus' please ask your...father ta stop glowerin'. 'E's scarin' people."

"I'm sorry, my sister is missing and an employee next door said he saw her outside this store's window."

"Oh yeah, I saw 'er. Glanced away an' she wos gone. If ya think ih'll 'elp, I can show yew te surveillance footage." He led her behind the counter and into a small room with a few monitors. "This shewd do." He rewound a tape, the black and white image coming to life. Cyan was standing in front of the window, completely entranced by whatever the hidden screens were showing. Two men suddenly shot down the sidewalk and grabbed her. The screen wasn't good enough to see the expression on her face, but Noodle distinctly saw the girl complete her action. She had pulled off her bow tie, scribbled something on it, and threw it on the ground before she disappeared.

"What was playing on the screen?"

"Hmm? Oh, some music video from tha' band Gorillaz. 'Ang on. 'Ey Markus!" he called outside the door. "Wot music video wos playin'?"

"Stylo!" someone called back.

"T'ere ya are, love."

Noodle rushed out of the room and outside to Murdoc. "Whoever took her, she knew who they were," she informed him. She put down her bags and started searching the ground. She cried in triumph when she held up the now slightly dirty ribbon.

"Wot is tha'?" he looked over her shoulder. "There's somethin' written on ih."

"It's an address," she realized. "She wrote the address."

* * *

><p>The building looked old and in need of repair, but nothing major. Some of the roofing had collapsed, but there was caution tape around that portion. It was a dark, shabby house under the trees, outside the outskirts of the city. It had an unkempt yard with a dilapidated swing-set.<p>

"I don' think I've ever felt more depressed in meh life," said Murdoc, kicking the gate and walking up the path that led to the front porch. "Place looks like crap."

_Why would they bring her here? _Noodle knocked on the door a few times, listening intently for the sound of footsteps. There seemed to be the echo of an earthquake, the sound of children screaming getting louder. A little girl, no older than twelve, answered the door.

"Hello?" she asked in a tentative voice.

"Hello, are there any grown-ups around? We need to speak with one."

A man appeared behind the door. "Thank you, Lily, go play. How may I help you?" He looked fairly young, dressed in a nice shirt and pants. He had dark brown eyes, almost black, slim features, lanky arms and legs, and a gap in his front teeth.

"Yeah, listen 'ere," said Murdoc, "one o' yer kids made off with one o' mine. A li'le girl with blue 'air."

The man visibly tensed up. "Y-Your kid? You sure?"

"Pretty sure. Snatched 'er up ova' by te 'ardware store."

"Please," he held the door open for them, "come in." They were led down into a sitting room. A couple of kids cleared out when they saw the adults enter. Murdoc cleared a few picture books off of an armchair before sitting down.

"Look, I don' wanna beat around the bush. Jus, give us back the kid."

"I'm sorry, but I must speak with my supervisor before I can allow you access to any of the children. We have strict security in this orphanage." He got up and left the room. Once he was gone, little faces peered from the doorway. A group of children, led by a young pre-teen boy, approached the two.

"Yer 'ere ta take te blue girl away, aren' cha?"

"So she is here?" said Noodle.

"Yeah, no one really likes 'er. She jus' stared at us an' wouldn' share. But she ran 'way a few weeks ago, but now she's back. Oops, gotta go!" they disappeared as quickly as they had come.

"Hello," a middle aged woman returned with the man from before, "I'm Marian, Perry here tells me you are looking for your child."

"Not meh kid," Murdoc replied hastily, "mate's kid."

"Well, you see...the parent has to come for the child."

"Wot is this, the pound? !"

"She's my sister," Noodle quickly cut in. "My father couldn't come with us, so...my uncle brought me here."

"Well..." Marian paused, a look creeping on her face, "you can look around, but please keep in mind, kids run away all the time. This is a big city, there's no definite confirmation that's she's here, she could be anywhere."

Thus, Murdoc and Noodle were turned loose. There were dozens of children everywhere, wandering around and such. They gave the adults a wide berth, slipping past into different rooms. There were so many rooms! Noodle would duck in a random one, but emerge with nothing. They eventually found themselves waiting in the main hallway. Murdoc was lighting up a cigarette.

"She's _here,_" Noodle insisted, "I know she is."

"Tha' can only mean they're 'iding 'er."

"But why?"

"Oi!" the pre-teen from before was waving at them. He kept his voice very soft, as if he didn't want the other adults to hear. "Yew want 'er? Come an' get 'er."

"You know where she is?"

"Yep." He coaxed them upstairs, keeping light on his feet as he walk. When they heard a door open, he practically flew into an open doorway. They followed just as the young man, Perry, walked by, holding a bloody wrench. "Not good." As soon as Perry was gone, the boy dashed down the hall and into a large, open room, most likely an attic. There were mats laid out on the floor, and kids stretched out between them, reading or drawing. They looked up, their expressions of masked horror. They had seen something, something that had terrified them. Almost all together, they pointed over to fort made from a sheet stretched over a desk and chair. The sheet was rippling slightly.

Noodle crouched down beside it and lifted the sheet. "Oh my God..." Cyan was sprawled out, her foot caught under the desk, keeping her in place. Her body was trembling violently. Her cap was gone, her exposed blue hair turned purple by sprays of blood. There was a trail of blood trickling from her open mouth, displaying her now reddened teeth, and an open gap. She was mumbling to herself and her eyes seemed hazy and far off. She didn't even seem to notice that Noodle was there. "Don't worry, we'll get you out. Murdoc, pick up the desk so I can get her foot out."

Grumbling to himself, he managed to lift it enough so Cyan's foot could be pulled out. The ankle was bruised completely purple. Noodle scooped the poor girl into her arms, stroking her sticky and crusted hair. The child began to breathe more evenly, but her ocean eyes continued to stare into nothingness.

"Alrigh' we got 'er, let's go," Murdoc nudged Noodle to her feet. "Sneak out when they're not lookin'."

"If Russel were here, all those grown-ups downstairs would be dead," the woman growled through her teeth. "Why would they do this?"

" 'Cause she kept runnin' away," said the boy. "T'ey said t'ey were 'makin' an example o' 'er.' Ih worked too. She's totally messed up now, cawls te workers 'te Nightmare Men' an' screams bloody murder wheneveh t'ey lock 'er in te closet."

"Don't you feel any sympathy?" she snapped.

"T'ere's somefin' wrong wiff 'er brain, I don' know if she wos like tha' ta begin wiff...or if t'ey made 'er tha' way. Say's 'er dad is responsible fer everythin', cuckoo-brain."

* * *

><p>"I prefer your hair blue," Noodle was curled up on one of the benches, Cyan still clutched tightly to her chest. The girl was beginning to come to, but her small frame wouldn't stop shaking.<p>

"Ih didn' used ta be blue. When I wos five, ih started turnin' blue. I used ta be blonde." She pushed her fingers through her clotted locks, showing off her roots, which were green. "Weird, righ'?"

"There's something I don't understand," she paused when Murdoc, who was putting things away in the back, cussed loudly, "2D said he fell from a tree and the trauma caused him to go bald and his hair grew back blue. So why did you get blue hair?"

" 'Fink o' ih like a disease. If one catches a certain disease, ih can be passed ta t'eir kid, right? Ta me, t'is is meh disease."

"Alrigh'!" Murdoc appeared from the back. "We're off!"

Noodle shifted, but something poked her in the stomach. "What's that?"

Cyan pulled out her y-shaped toy. "Somefin' I made."

* * *

><p>so u know what I'm talking about with the y-shaped toy, it later becomes a slingshot, just to let you get a good picture of what it looks like<p> 


	10. Cleansing Storm

Cleansing Storm

I am the voice of Dragons past

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>Dark clouds were rolling in. Electricity was in the air, the scent of danger. The waters around the fake island were beginning to stir, washing further and further up the shore. Thunder rumbled deeply in the distance, but the flashes of lightning were not yet visible. A chilled breeze danced by. The ringing of hail off the manor roof alerted those inside of what was to come.<p>

Cyan was sprawled out on one of the chairs. Her head ached terribly, as did her mouth. Indeed, the wrench had done some major damage. One of her front teeth was gone, but, thankfully, it was one of her baby teeth, so it would grow back. Her head was bandaged up, but had stopped bleeding a long time ago. 2D was kind enough to share his pills, which she took without a word.

"I want to talk to you about something," Noodle settled into the chair next to her. "About back at the orphanage."

She just grumbled, but didn't get up to leave.

"When I found you, you were in some sort of trance. You were muttering things in a quiet voice and your eyes were hazy."

"Hmmm..."

"Cyan...are you afraid of the dark?"

She gave the woman a funny look. "No! Only stupid li'le kids are 'fraid o' te dark."

"Then what was it that scared you?"

"Rath'a not say."

"That's your answer for everything."

"T'en yew shewd be used ta ih by now."

Silence followed, the only interruptions being the hail outside and the sounds of Russel in the kitchen. Noodle bit her lip. "It's alright to be scared. We all have fears, it's what makes us human. Even Murdoc's scared of some things." She paused, playing with her fingers. "That man, at the orphanage...he had dark eyes and a gap in his teeth. And his face was a little featured like someone we know."

Cyan's fingers twitched.

"Except for the whites in his eyes and his hair, he looked a little like...2D." Still no response. "Is that why you're scared-"

"Shut up," she whispered, turning her head away.

Noodle lowered her voice. "It would make a lot of sense. He looks like one of the people who've hurt you, except you can hurt him back, because he doesn't fight."

There was a loud beep before Russel's voice reverberated around the island. "Dinner's up!" Murdoc had purchased an intercom system from the mainland and installed it. There was no need to explain the rules, 2D had made himself an example on what would happen if one misused it. He steered clear of the communicator outside his room now.

The lift doors opened, allowing Murdoc and Cyborg to step out. Surprisingly, when they got back from the mainland, Plastic Beach was still standing and not engulfed in flames. 2D was half starved from hiding in his room the whole time, but had managed to get by with eating crumbs off his carpet. No harm done. "Finally!" Murdoc complained, making his way into the kitchen.

Cyborg stood by as Noodle helped Cyan to her shaky feet, watching them intensely. The girl swayed dangerously, her shoulders sagged, as if she couldn't bear to support them anymore. "Let's get some food in you."

"Tha' wewd be nice," 2D wandered in from the studio.

* * *

><p>The hail grew louder, a continuous noise on the roof. The thunder began to snarl and the wind began to roar at the lightning that danced in the sky. Murdoc had taken safety precautions for storms. He had several lightning rods set up around the beach to draw the bolts away from the manor. That helped comfort troubled minds, but not by much.<p>

"It _has_ to be anchored," Noodle insisted, "there's no other solution. It would explain why the island isn't floating away."

"Makes sense," but Cyan was so tired, she was just pretty much humoring her roommate. She shifted around in her pile-of-pillows-bed, trying to get settled for the night.

"Aww, my pillow's gone!" Because Noodle liked to sleep on her side, she had a special pillow with soft material that didn't irritate her bruised face. "2D must have taken it accidently."

Cyan rose to her feet, fighting for balance when the whole island swayed. "I'll go get it."

"You don't have to, I'll do it."

"I'll go," she insisted. "We have all the painting supplies piled by your bed, you'll just trip over it." That was the downfall of having such a small room. "I'll be back." She stepped into the lift. She could feel the island tremble as it fought against the torrential waves that thrashed it mercilessly. She wasn't scared. The light bulb swung back and forth, casting her shadow all around. The lift doors began to open, but then they stopped. The light overhead died. "Wot?" she squeezed through the doors.

2D lifted his head as his estranged daughter practically fell into his dark room. "Power's ou'?"

"So ih appears," she turned her gaze onto him. _Jus' meh freakin' luck. _

" 'Appens sometimes. 'Specially inna storm like t'is."

"Wotever. Can I get Noodle's pillow back?"

"Did I take ih? Oh..." he got to his feet and started scouring the messy room. "Tell 'er I'm sorry," he tossed the pillow at her. She caught it with her good hand, a glare plastered on her face. He just grinned at her.

She snapped. "Wot is yer fockin' problem? !"

2D jumped when her voice exploded.

"Why don' yew 'ate me? I've been nuffin' but 'orrible ta ya, but yer always smilin'!"

"I see no reason not ta," he shrugged.

"Yer te biggest moron I've eveh met! I can' believe yer meh father!"

"Neither can I. Yer real smart fer yer age, an' cute wiff meh blue 'air."

"Don' yew dare mention tha'!" she hissed, advancing on him. They heard the thunder roar in response to her hatred. "I 'ate t'is 'air, 'cause o' ih, I cewdn' be normal!" she ripped her bandages off and dug her fingers into her locks, yanking viciously at them. "Maybe life wewd've been betteh! Maybe te otheh kids wewdn't 'ave been so mean! Maybe someone wewd've adopted me. Maybe..." tears began to stream down her face. Before either of them knew it, she dropped to her knees. "Maybe...Mum wewd still be alive." She finished the sentence with a keening, anguish-filled cry that shattered the heart of anyone who heard. Unfortunately, Murdoc was passed out.

She sobbed loudly, her hands dropping away from her head to lay on the floor. "I wont meh mum! I wont 'er back! I don' wont ta be alone anymore!"

2D watched her, not really knowing what to do at the moment. He recalled one time when Noodle was little and she'd been crying this hard. She'd fallen after climbing Murdoc's Winnebago. They had been playing hide-and-seek. The fall had knocked the wind out of her, scraped her knees and elbows, cut her hand deeply, and put a large bruise on the back of her head. He had come rushing when he had heard the cry, poor little Noodle curled up screaming in pain. He had rushed her to the hospital, Russel, who had been out, and Murdoc, who'd been who-knows-where, meeting up with him later. When they were told Noodle was going to be alright, he had dashed off to bring her a stuffed animal and some candy.

_I don' 'ave any candy, as far as I know. But maybe..._ He started routing through his stuff once again. Cyan continued sobbing, not even remotely aware of her father in the room. 2D smiled when he held up an old bear. Why he had it, he couldn't remember, but he had recalled seeing it a few days ago and figured it would work in a pinch. He approached the small girl, who stopped to breathe when she saw him. He held out the stuffed animal to her.

Cyan was torn in two. Her pride was saying reject him. _'E's responsible fer awl o' t'is, 'e abandoned yew an' Mum. Don' show weakness. _But it seemed a little too late for that. Finally, the inner child that was locked away in her mind broke through. She grabbed the bear and buried her face into it. 2D, content with how this was going, scooped her up and carried her to the bed. He felt even more confident when she didn't punch him. For a little girl, she was surprisingly strong.

"Wot 'appened ta ya mother, love?"

"Sh-she..." Cyan took in a few deeps breathes. All of her confidence was failing, leaving her the lonely and terrified child that she truly was. "We were 'appy togethah. I neveh asked 'bout yew 'cause I didn' know ih wasn' normal fer a kid ta not 'ave a da'. I used ta be blonde, when I wos 'round five ih started turnin' blue. Te paparazzi took notice. T'ey started 'arrassing us, askin' us questions 'bout stuff I didn' unda'stand. When I wos six, t'ey..." she broke off into more tears.

"Ih's aw'righ', love," 2D stroked her hair. "yew don' 'ave ta tell me."

"But I do, I know I do. When I wos six, t'ey followed us te meh mum's car when we wos shoppin'. She told t'em ta leave us alone, but t'ey wewdn' listen. I got scared an' started cryin'. She started drivin' away, but te flashes from te cameras...she...she crashed inta a pole. I wos scared, no one wos 'elpin' me. I cewdn' get ou' of meh booster seat, te latch wos stuck. When te police arrived, t'ey tried ta take me away, but I fought an' ran ta where meh mum wos laid ou' on ta ground. I cewd tell she wos dyin', not matteh wot t'ey told me otha'wise. She looked me righ' in ta face an' said who meh father wos."

_Wiff 'er las' words, she told yew who I wos?_

"I 'fought she wanted me ta find yew 'cause...I realized ih wos meh blue 'air, your blue 'air, tha' caught te paparazzi's attention. T'ey were ta ones tha' did t'is, but your genes were ta ones tha' caused t'is an' yew were neveh t'ere fer us. So I 'ated yew fer te longest time. Yew abandoned us, yer 'air caught t'eir attention. I wos sent ta te orphanage, but I neveh talked ta anyone or played wiff te otheh kids. I tried runnin' away many times, always gettin' dragged back an' punished. T'ese were usually carried ou' by Perry."

"Yer scars an' bruises."

"Correct. But te last time, I did ih. I escaped, found a boat, an' came all te way ou' 'ere. I came ta find yew, ta make ya suffer fer wot yew did. But..." she paused, the realization flowing to her, "yew nevah did anyfin'. Yew didn' even know I existed. None o' t'is wos yer fault... Yew may lewk kinda like Perry, but yew aren' 'im. Yer..," she looked up at him, "yer not gonna 'urt me."

"We awl make mistakes, makes us 'uman."

"So do fears apparently," she mumbled. "Te paparazzi passed te accident off as 'drunk drivin'.' Meh mum neveh drank!"

"I don' 'fink te powers gonna come back on fer a bit. If yew don' 'ate me no more, maybe yew stay?"

"T'ere is plenty o' room."

"Great!" he left her on the bed and wandered over to a stack of blankets. "Yew can 'ave te bed." He tossed a blanket behind him, it landing over her head. He continued rambling, but she wasn't paying attention anymore.

"Te crushin' dark! Make ih stop!" she screamed, tumbling off the bed while fighting with the blanket.

" 'Ang on, love!" he untangled the blanket from her thrashing form. "Ih's jus' a blanket. Nuffin's gonna 'urt 'cha."

She curled up in the fetal position, the bear still clutched to her chest. Her eyes were hazy once more, her breathes coming in short bursts, her voice mumbling. 2D watched her as she resurfaced from her panic attack, worried that she had gone completely insane. _I remember t'is too. Noodle did tha' sometimes when she wos scared. _He looked down at the blanket in his hands. _She scared o' blankets?_

"Wait..." he could feel his brain pulse, "yer claust-claustro-claus-phobic-claus- scared o' small places!"

She whimpered and curled up tighter.

2D crouched down beside her. "Ih's aw'righ' ta be scared. Everyone's afraid of somefink. I don' like whales, Muhdoc's afraid o' lewkin' up, an' Noodle's scared o' thunderstorms." His comforting smile faded. "Oh God! She mus' be freakin' ou' righ' now!"

* * *

><p>Noodle repeatedly jabbed the button for the lift. The power had gone out, but that thought hadn't really registered in her mind. The fear was overtaking her. She had heard Cyan cry out, and that only fueled what was already terrified. The gears inside the lift suddenly sprang to life. Her lamp flickered a few times. The power was on, if only for a little bit. She slipped through once the doors were open and slammed her fist against the button for 2D's room.<p>

_Come on- come on, please!_

She felt herself move down. Thunder snarled again, causing her to bury her face in her hands. _I've faced the burning pits of Hell! Why am I scared of something so trivial as thunder? _She heard the lift doors started to open. She dashed through, barely aware of where she was going.

"Noodle?" 2D saw her slim figure dart from the doors.

She ended up tackling him, causing him to fall on the bed, barely missing Cyan. "The storm won't stop!"

"Yer not alone, love," he patted her on the back. "Cyan's 'ere too. Ih's a regular sleepover." He untangled himself from her, stretching over his bed. Cyan curled up against him, nestled between him and the wall. Noodle snuggled against his chest. Both found their fears being fading away as they were lulled to sleep by his heartbeat.

2D felt content as well. _Life isn' so bad._

* * *

><p><em>What we fear and what desire<em>

_Joy and love, hate and ire_

_In our hearts, lurks our fears_

_Those that rouse our screams and tears_

_Free our minds so we can thrive_

_I've broke my fear, I will survive._

* * *

><p>that bit at the end is another one of Cyan's twiddles.<p>

does no one like this story? I'm sorry if it's a little slow, it'll pick up soon, but I was hoping to have more reviews by now. they make me happy.


	11. What's Best

What's Best

I am the voice of Dragons past

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>" 'D, I'm not questionin' your parenting skills, but should she really be watchin' that show?" Russel asked one morning.<p>

"I see no 'arm," 2D shrugged. "Wotever makes 'er 'appy."

"Look, I'm glad you two have finally found some even ground, but ya can' be a playmate. You're her dad and ya need to show it."

"Why can' I be both?"

" 'Cause it screws with a kid's mind. They come to think o' ya as a playmate and when the times comes that ya need them to listen or obey ya, they're not gonna take ya seriously."

"So, ta make Cyan respect me, I need ta change te channel?"

"It's a start."

_Personally, I like Te Simpsons. _He crossed the study and snagged the remote, changing the television. Cyan didn't even give any notice of the change, her only sign of paying attention being her eyes flicking in her father's direction. But she didn't react when he settled on cartoons, choosing to eat more of her cereal. Once that was taken care of, 2D returned to the kitchen doorway, where Russel and Noodle were also standing.

"I think she's got the right idea." Noodle disappeared into the kitchen and reemerged with a bowl of cereal. She went and settled next to the small girl, enjoying a bit of childhood. And after only a moment's hesitation, 2D copied her and joined them.

Russel sighed. _'D you're gonna need some help with this parentin' stuff. _A small smile crept onto his lips when all three started laughing at Tom and Jerry's antics. _At least you'll be able to understand her._

* * *

><p>"Do awl birds talk, or jus, yew guys?" Cyan now had a sturdy, thick rubber band to string with her pipe-toy. Because Murdoc had banned golf, she was using the golf balls as ammo to shoot at cans set up along the beach.<p>

"We can understand other birds!" said the pelican.

"Well o' course ya can, yer birds! Ih wewd be strange if ya didn' unda'stand yer own kind."

"Some birds are not the best company," said the seagull. "Depends on what kind of bird you are. Some birds only talk about bread crumbs, others, too thick-headed to form a coherent sentence."

"Birds o' a feather flock togetheh?"

"I guess."

Cyan used her right hand to pull back the band, her wrist aching as she did so. She lined up the shot on a rum bottle. Her tongue sticking slightly out of her mouth, her teeth firmly catching it between. She released the band, watching as the bottle shattered. "As good as Cyborg!"

2D was leaning against the safety rail at the entrance. He felt his chest swell with pride, it had been doing that with each little accomplishment that Cyan did. _I wondah if I can cawl 'er Aishling? Nah...too soon. _She had just started liking him, he didn't want to ruin it. Ever since he realized the truth about Cyan's feelings, he felt as though he was treading on even thinner ice. He felt as though any small thing could set her off. There were a few times when he had approached her from the side, she flinched when she saw him in her peripheral vision, but relaxed when she got a good look at him. As of late, he was wracking his brain to remember what woman could possibly be her mother. One with Irish roots, Aishling wasn't a very common name.

"Da'!" she called from below. "Wotch t'is!" She released the band on her slingshot, breaking three bottles she had lined up behind each other.

"Great job, love!"

"You know, you two are cute together," Noodle appeared from behind him and leaned against the rail as he did.

"I've been 'avin' thoughts lately."

"About what? Her mother?"

"Yes, but also 'bout wot I'm gonna do wiff 'er."

"You're not going to send her away are you? 2D, I've seen that orphanage! I've seen what they've done to her, what they are capable of doing! You'd be sending her to her death."

"I don' wont te send 'er away, love, I'm jus' worried 'bout a few 'fings. If we're gonna be togetheh, I wont 'er ta 'ave everyfing she'll need ta be a good person. I wont 'er in school, I wont 'er in a real 'ouse, I wont ta give 'er toys ta play wiff, trees ta climb tha' aren' plastic, maybe a pet if she wonts one." He peeked over his shoulder at the entrance. "I can' do tha' 'ere."

"You know Murdoc won't let you leave," she put a hand on his shoulder.

"An' Cyan made ih perfectly clear tha' she's not goin' anywhere wiffout me. A no-win situation."

"I do wonder, when her mother died, why was she sent to that orphanage? Doesn't she have other family? Why wasn't she sent to live with her mother's parents?"

"T'ey pro'lly don' see 'er as family."

"But she's adorable!" On cue, Cyan laughed triumphantly as she shattered the furthest bottle. "And she seems fine with just that slingshot to play with. She'll make her own toys."

"She cewd be an inventor, but we'll neveh know! No school, no future."

"Pardon me," she narrowed her eyes at him, "but I never went to school."

"Yew were a super soldier, yew knew everyfing ya needed ta know."

"You're taking her intelligence lightly, she's smart. She was smart enough to make it on her own this whole time. Not many kids could've made it all the way out here."

"Now let's see if she can figure ou' a way ta get back."

* * *

><p>"That's mine!" Russel growled when Murdoc snagged the last of the chicken breast. "Give it up, Muds!"<p>

"Yew don' need anymore. Yer so fat, ya leave footprints in meh plastic beach!"

"Oh yeah? You're livin' proof that God has a sense o' humor!"

Murdoc growled. "At least when I do a 'andstand meh stomach doesn' punch me in the face!"

The other three members who sat the table all stifled their laughter at the same time. 2D spit his beer back into the can, wiping the dribble on his sleeve. Noodle covered her mouth to keep her food in. Cyan laid her head on the table, her shoulders shaking with mirth.

"Alrigh', alrigh', finish eatin'. The generator's breakin' down again, so I 'ave ta shut off the power at night. Everyone ta bed, t'en this place goes dark," Murdoc stood up with his plate, dumped the chicken breast into 2D's salad, dropped the plate in sink, and left.

2D groaned, poking at the meat. "Did 'e 'ave ta do tha'?"

"Ya know," Cyan lowered her voice, "ih isn' 'cause o' te generator. I 'eard 'im talkin' wiff Cyborg. Someone cawled Sun Moon Stars is lurkin' 'round. Mistah Muhdoc said somefink 'bout drownin' Plastic Beach in darkness ta keep 'is ship from pinpointin' our location."

2D's eyes turned white. "Sun Moon Stars? We are in trouble!"

"Who's Sun Moon Stars?" Cyan, Noodle, and Russel asked altogether.

"Te Boogieman! Te 'fing we saw in te light'ouse. Yew 'frew 'is ship away when ya arrived 'ere, Russel. 'E must be tryin' ta guide ih back."

"Wot does 'e wont?" asked Cyan.

"I don' know meself. Somefink ta do wiff Muhdoc, but wot I don' unda'stand is why 'e 'anging 'round. 'E's knows 'e can' get ta Muhdoc."

"Because of Cyborg?" said Noodle.

"An' Evangelist, yew saw 'ow 'e reacted when she appeared. She's 'ere ta protect us. But if 'e gets 'is boat back 'ere, ih'll be too much fer 'er."

The lights suddenly cut out, leaving everything pitch black. Cyan squealed when she fell from her chair onto the hard floor. There was clatter of her plate following, but it missed her. "Shewd've seen tha' comin'."

"Damn it, Murdoc!" Russel shouted. "At least give us some kinda warnin' next time!" They listened as he shuffled around toward the cupboards. "He's gotta have a flashlight 'round here." He started tugging at some of the drawers.

"Third one down," came 2D's voice from the darkness. "Cyan, 'ow are yew 'olding up?"

"T'is darkness is open spaced, I'm okay...fer now."

"It's jammed," Russel reported. "I can get it open a little, but my hands are too big."

"Let me try." Cyan started crawling. Her eyes were adjusting, so she could make out shapes. And it was hard to miss Russel. She tapped his leg. "Righ' beside ya." She pushed her hand through the space, but realized she couldn't move it around. _O' course, ih's meh righ' 'and. _She pulled off the wrist guard and tried again, wincing as she bent the tender joint. "Got ih!"

The light beam unmasked the dark. 2D and Noodle hadn't moved from their places, mostly out of fear of stepping on Cyan. "Lemme have that," Russel gestured for the flashlight. "We'll go inna group. First to 'D's room, then I'll drop you two off at your stop, then retire to my room."

"Righ'." Cyan massaged her wrist, looking around for the wrist guard.

"Wot's on yer 'and, love?" 2D crept closer.

Wound tightly about the injured wrist was a chain, like one would get from a necklace. "Ih's jus' meh mum's old chain. She gave ih ta me before she died," her voice choked up momentarily, but she relaxed. "Let's go ta bed."

* * *

><p>Figuring Noodle was already asleep, judging by her deep breathing, Cyan moved around their room. It was messy from them just throwing everything around, but she easily found what she was looking for. A dry erase whiteboard. <em>If Evangelist is truly on our side, I wont 'er ta communicate wiff us. <em>Grabbing a pocket flashlight that would only light about two feet in front of her, she slipped into the lift, hoping that, if Noodle awoke, she would just think she was going to the bathroom.

She emerged at the entrance. The pelican and seagull were asleep, their heads tucked under their wings. She stepped lightly down the metal stairs before turning on the flashlight. She began a quick dash over the trash strewn ground. It was a crescent moon tonight, an eerie setting considering what was lurking around the island.

_Once I'm close ta te pier, 'e wewdln' dare!_

She scaled their little ramp, the whiteboard tucked safely under her arm, the flashlight in her teeth. She peeked up over the walk, searching out any moving shadows. When she saw none, she scrambled up and did a stealth run, her body low to the wooden walk. She placed the whiteboard on the counter of the shooting booth. Taking the marker, she scribbled a quick message on it.

_For you._

Content with the gift, she hurried back around the island. She tripped and banged her knee on the stairs, but didn't wake the birds.

* * *

><p>Morning came with no worries. Cyan sat up, rubbing her eyes and stretching. Noodle was mumbling and turned over, drawing the girl's attention. That's when she saw it. They had one window, it was over the cot. It was a little sticky to open and close. Usually it ended with both of them ramming their elbows to get it to shut. It was just open a tiny bit. They had deemed it impossible to close all the way from the outside.<p>

_Did we leave ih open? No, ih wewd be freezin' in 'ere if we did._

She moved her blanket down, a rustling noise catching her attention now. She saw a note laying on about where her stomach was on the blanket. It was slightly ragged and bent. With trembling fingers, she picked it up tenderly. There were two words in fanciful, curly, neat writing.

_Very grateful._

* * *

><p>aww, Evangelist is nice!<p> 


	12. Toxic Flames

Toxic Flames

I am the voice of Dragons past

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>Cyan's quick feet weaved among the small piles of trash along the beach. She was hugging herself against the building, not wanting to venture too far away. Dark shadows lurked down the beach. Even if they couldn't be seen through the darkness that swamped the island. She knew they were there, Murdoc had been getting antsy and Cyborg was patrolling more often. She had yet to run into the robot during the nightly patrols, but this was only the third time she'd been out.<p>

The girl scaled the make-shift ramp and crept along to the booth at the end of the pier. Still as empty as ever, but she knew Evangelist was somewhere. Last time, she had left some rope for the board. She had received some candy in return. This time was something special. She unrolled the rag on the counter, checking that she had each colored marker she had set out with.

_She'll like t'ese, write in different colors._

She re-rolled the present and left it on the counter.

* * *

><p>She woke up the next morning, almost excited.<p>

"Me thinks 2D was here," Noodle's voice almost made her jump.

After looking downward to see her gift, she smiled. "I 'fink maybe." _As far as yew'll know...fer now. _Sitting on her blanket was a stuffed animal from the booth. A white cat with multi-colored rainbow stripes. No note this time, which saddened her a little. She liked the communication from that whatever-she-was. An angel?

* * *

><p>"Master," said Cyborg in her synthetic voice, "the radars report a large object moving towards Plastic Beach."<p>

"Shit!" Murdoc cursed. " 'E's finally brought ih back. Get yer guns."

"Should we alert the others?"

"Nah, not yet, they'll go inna panic. Faceache'll try 'arder than eveh ta get 'is kid off this place. An' I know Noodle an' Russel will 'elp 'im. When they know there's no way off, they'll fight beside us."

* * *

><p>2D poked idly at his pancakes. He always felt that the day didn't truly begin until Noodle and Cyan were up. Then he'd have people to play with. That did get him thinking about what Russel had said. Did Cyan just see him as a playmate, or did she actually respect him as her father? <em>She barely knows ya,<em> he reminded himself.

"Breakfast!" Cyan and Noodle, wearing matching wool socks, slid into the kitchen, only to slip and fall on the tile floor.

"Angel, baby-girl!" Russel hurried over to the duo. "You a'ight?"

"Not our best idea," Noodle rubbed her sore head. "Won't do that again."

"We jus' got too much o' a 'eadstart," said Cyan. "Next time, le's not go off at a run, jog shewd do." She turned her head toward the lift when she heard the chime. Cyborg stepped out and marched toward the window, a collection of guns loaded onto her body. She took guard standing in front of the glass. Her hand gripped one of her rifles tightly, ready to draw and fire. _Okay...somefink's goin' down. T'ey're nervous 'bout somefink. _Cyborg paused to acknowledge her for a moment, then marched out of the room via the lift once more.

Cyan turned to the kitchen. "I wont chocolate chips in meh pancakes."

* * *

><p>It was a bright and cheery day on the plastic turf, better known as the beach. The sand felt so unnatural between their toes, and it retained more heat than normal sand, so it burned if one wasn't moving. Thus, 2D was fishing on the jetty, Noodle was napping in a lawn chair, and Cyan was running around.<p>

Her awkward lope was the best speed she could muster and it hindered her more than just walking. Running and dodging invisible enemies, shooting the rum bottles with her slingshot. There was always plenty of those around. She climbed a car buried halfway down in the turf and slipped inside through the back door. She tumbled down to the windshield under the ground. _Boring... _She climbed back out and sat down on the bumper, swinging her legs back and forth.

There was something in the distance. She pulled out Noodle's spyglass to discover a polar bear and an alligator floating at sea. _Okay...I'm curious, but also sure I don' wanna know. _"Cawl me Ishmael! Ih's te great white whale, cap'n!"

Her playing was interrupted by loud screaming. She turned just in time to see her father fleeing into the manor. Noodle's head poked around the edge of the stairway. "What happened?" she called out.

"I said 'whale'," she shouted back.

The woman rose to her feet and picked her way along the beach. "I'm bored, what do you say we go to the record store? Find something interesting?"

"I don' wanna go, tha' man stinks like a dead otter. 'Ow do ya 'fink 'e survives? Does Mistah Muhdoc feed 'im?"

"I honestly have no clue." The two walked together up to the store, both flinching at the same time when the smell hit them like a brick wall. "You coming?"

"I 'fink I'll go ta te pier." She ran off back near the manor, leaning against the wall. Cyborg stepped into view, guns slung on her shoulder. " 'Ello t'ere!" Cyan greeted her. "Where's Sun Moon Stars?"

It was meant as a taunt, but apparently there's no funny disk in that robot. She jabbed the girl with the barrel of her rifle before continuing on. _Fine, I'll go somewhere tha' people like me. _She climbed up the tamp to the pier, eagerly running to the end and snooping in the booth. "Evangelist?" It was empty, no sign of the being anywhere. _Where does she go?_

As she turned away, her sharp eyes caught a dark shape on the horizon. A boat, a large pirate boat that was crudely boarded up on the belly. _Ih can' be...we've been takin' so many precautions. _But there was no mistaking it. Sun Moon Stars had gotten his boat back. Her heart rate began to pick up. _No! No panic attacks! _She climbed into the booth and peeked over the edge of the counter with the spyglass.

At the bow of the boat stood the black cloaked being. The wind ruffled his cloak slightly, but he himself did not move. A statue that eagerly awaited the time his ship would make contact with Plastic Beach. Cyan lowered the spyglass and started to slip off the counter. The drop was a little further than she had expected, causing her to tumble back and her head connected with something solid yet soft. Her eyes made contact with the white lenses of Evangelist's mask. The whiteboard was hung around the lean creature's neck by the rope. Her slender fingers held the board out, insisting Cyan read its message. Done in large, crude lettering, as if she was trying to express her emotion through the writing.

_RUN AWAY_

Cyan leapt to her feet and took off back for the entrance. She looked back once, realizing that Evangelist had added more to the message.

_RUN AWAY FROM PLASTIC BEACH._

_She wonts me ta leave! _she realized. The girl tripped and stumbled in her urgency. Her knee ached terribly, causing her to resort to her loping run that caused her to stumble repeatedly. "Noodle!" she cried when the record shop came into view. "Noodle! We 'ave ta get away!"

The door opened, Noodle and Russel both exiting quickly. The man picked her up. "What's goin' on? Why do we have to get away?"

"No!" the girl struggled violently. "Let me go! We 'ave ta leave Plastic Beach!" She squirmed around.

"We can't leave," he tightened his grip.

"Yes we can! We need ta get away from Plastic Beach!" she slipped out and hurdled for the stairway. Noodle raced ahead and into the lift, gesturing for the two to follow.

"I'll wait, you two go," said Russel.

The doors shut, leaving the two in each other's company. "Don't worry," Noodle assured the blue-haired child. "I have a gun I stole from the Cyborg hidden in our room. We'll be okay."

"Where's Da'?"

"Probably ran and hid in his room, we'll stop off and get him."

* * *

><p>The Boogieman waited patiently as his boat drifted closer to the horrid pink eye-sore of the sea. The vessel turned toward the pier, an easy access point for such a large ship. He raised his arms high in the air to summon some airplanes. Murdoc Niccals wouldn't escape this time. The ship lurched forward, violently slamming into the pier. The wooden dock splintered and broke away, causing the shooting booth to drop into the ocean. The entire island rocked and shuddered from the strike.<p>

A white flash shot past him, landing on the deck. He turned to look down upon Evangelist. His exact opposite, nature was all about opposites to balance things out. Up and down, dark and light, sun and moon, hot and cold, land and sea, Boogieman and Evangelist. She stretched her fingers toward him in a menacing way. If he were able to show any emotion, he would've smirked and laughed cruelly. He swept his arms over his head. Rising from nothingness on the deck, surrounding Evangelist, his servants stood.

* * *

><p>"Why isn' t'is workin?" Cyan jabbed at the unlit button for her father's room.<p>

"Some things must have gotten knocked around when the island shook." Noodle was crouched on her cot, loading the gun with ammunition. "We'll have to repair it to get to 2D's room."

The girl pulled at the panel, then tried to turn the screws with her fingers. _Wait, I know! _She searched the room, tossing things around until she found the spanner. She also pulled on her backpack, determined to leave the island once everyone was together. Noodle joined her in the lift and helped remove the panel. The woman cussed when the wires zapped her, but they managed to get it working again.

They were greeted with a person-empty room. Messy as ever, but no sign of its occupant. "Where is 'e?" Cyan stooped to check under the bed. Something shiny caught her eye. When Noodle's back was turned, she pulled it out to reveal a flick knife. _T'is migh' come in 'andy._

"He's probably on the upper floors. Maybe taking shelter in the kitchen," Noodle grabbed her arm. "Let's hurry!"

* * *

><p>2D couldn't stop shaking. He had been hiding in the studio ever since Cyan had cried 'whale'. He missed the alert, but figured it out on his own when he saw the familiar pirate ship ram into the island. He had a gun, but figured he was too shaken to even summon the brainpower to use it. He had a perfect view of the pier, and of the fight between Evangelist and the Boogieman's minions. He had cried out when he saw her flee, white robes ripped and stained with something he couldn't identify. He didn't see where she went, he could only watch as the enemy crossed onto the island.<p>

_Cyan, Noodle, Russel, I 'ope yer awl okay. _He felt his stomach lurch, he was so nervous. The ship was bare now, meaning its occupants were all on the beach now. _'Ow are we gonna win t'is? _A clawed hand hooked onto the open window. 2D yelped and stumbled back. The Boogieman climbed into the studio without much effort. He looked around, settling his red gaze upon the singer. He stretched to his full height, towering over the poor man. 2D fumbled with the gun, managing to shatter a window.

The black cloaked creature's hand shot out, wrapping slender fingers around the man's neck. 2D dropped the gun and scratched at the hand that was pressing on his windpipe. His fear heightened as he felt himself being lifted off the floor. The Boogieman's grip tightened, nails digging into flesh. The poor man gasped for air, weakly lashing out with his legs. He tried to hook one leg over the arm, but his strength failed him.

"No!" a blue blur dashed into the room. Despite her handicap, Cyan sprang upward, using her father's shoulder as a platform, and plunged the flick knife deep into the Boogieman's left eye. 2D was dropped immediately as the dark creature jumped back, limbs flailing around, trying to get the knife. Cyan landed on her father's stomach, knocking what little breath he had from his body.

"Get away!" Noodle called from the doorway, holding up her gun.

"Ih won' work, love!" 2D croaked. He wrapped his arms around his daughter and began scooting back. The Boogieman finally managed to collect himself. He turned to face the two blunettes, the knife still sticking out of his mask. He wrapped his fingers around the handle and pulled it out. There was no blood. He fondled the knife, getting the feel of a weapon he had never felt the need to use. 2D became frantic, his long legs pushing him back more quickly as the creature approached, the knife poised to strike.

A foot landed on 2D's leg, catching him in place. The singer raised his arms, hoping to shield any stab that was thrown. The Boogieman thrust down, his other arm skillfully pushing away 2D's, and buried the weapon into Cyan's right shoulder. The poor child released a piercing screech of pain. 2D desperately reached behind him, blindly searching out for any blunt object he could use. His fingers touched something before he even registered what it was. He jumped up and swung El Diablo right into the Boogieman's head. The guitar shattered, knocking the creature into some equipment.

Noodle dashed across the room, firing useless bullets in her rage. 2D knelt beside his screaming daughter. His fingers brushed the knife, only causing her to shriek, her hands lashing out at him in self-defense. Realizing there was nothing he could do at the moment, he scooped her into his arms and ran out of the room, Noodle following close behind. "We need to get out of here!"

"We can'! T'ere's no way off!"

The woman rushed over to the fish tank. Without warning, she plunged her hand into the water, gripped something resting on the bottom, and pulled it out before the fish could attack. A set of keys. "I saw Murdoc hide them here yesterday. They're the keys to Stylo, we're getting off this fucking floating prison."

* * *

><p>Motionless bodies riddled the beach. Cyborg was blasting away like there was no tomorrow. Murdoc had appeared right before the ship had made contact, but was sheltering like the coward he was in these situations. He and Russel were underneath the stairs to the entrance.<p>

"Damn!" Russel hissed, applying pressure to the wound on his arm. "There's jus' too many of 'em! You're an idiot, Muds!"

"Don' go blamin' me!"

"It's your fault, ain't it? !"

The sound of footsteps overhead stopped the oncoming argument. 2D and Noodle touched down onto the beach and ran off in the direction of the jetty. After a moment's hesitation, the two men followed along.

"Wot do ya think yer doin'?" Murdoc shouted once they had come into earshot.

The singer and guitarist slid to a halt on the wooden planks. 2D's shirt was stained red with Cyan's blood. All the poor girl could do was whimper, the knife still buried in her shoulder. "We're leavin', Muhdoc. An' no one can stop us. We're gettin' off t'is shitty island an' findin' 'elp fer Cyan."

The green skinned man looked her over. "She'll be fine. A band-aid, li'le rest, nothin' bad."

Russel's fist bowled him over. "Nothin' bad? ! There's a fuckin' knife in her shoulder!"

"Hurry!" Noodle was balanced at the ladder entrance to Stylo. 2D handed off his daughter to her before climbing down. Without hesitation, Russel followed, with a little difficulty.

"Were do ya think yer goin'? !" Murdoc shakily rose to his feet. The island shuddered as the top of the manor exploded violently, raining fire and building parts down on the beach.

"We're leavin'!" 2D shouted from below before Russel slammed the valve shut.


	13. Timeclock

Timeclock

I am the voice of Dragons past

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>It's very hard to grip the controls of a submarine when you're covered in a thick layer of sweat and shaking so violently you may puke at any moment. 2D tried to calm himself, for his daughter's sake, but found he couldn't do so easily. <em>She needs yew ta be strong, <em>he reminded himself. _She's 'urt, she needs yew. _He didn't dare look behind him. He could hear just fine, the whimpers and coughs that drove needles into his heart.

"Do you think they'll follow?" Noodle asked in a low voice. Maybe it was the fact that this was an enclosed area, or she was just scared out of her mind.

"They don' want us," Russel assured her. "They want Murdoc. I think we're gonna be okay."

"S-s-says y-yew," 2D's voice trembled with his body.

Noodle balanced on one of the metal benches and stretched upward to pull down the periscope. It appeared to be jammed because she grabbed the handles and hung off of it until it lowered her to the ground. "The island's turned into tower of fire," she reported. "Bye-bye Plastic Beach." She tried pushing the periscope back up, but gave up and let it hang down. The submarine groaned as 2D steered it through a strong current. "Do you know how to work this thing?"

"Barely," he replied. "But ih used ta be a car, so some a te controls aren' too diff'rent." The vessel groaned more loudly this time, sort of like an echo.

"That didn' sound like the sub," Russel situated Cyan down on one of the benches before standing with Noodle to look over 2D's shoulder. "It was outside, in the water."

Noodle shivered. "Do you think he came back with submarines too?"

There answer came soon enough. "WHALE!" 2D screamed. A large humpback whale was casually swimming along in the distance. It didn't look menacing, but that thought hadn't registered in his mind. He jerked at the controls. The sub rumbled as it sharply turned to the other direction.

"What are you doing? !" Noodle fell over the top of the captain's chair, pulling at his wrist so he would relinquish control. "You're taking us back to Plastic Beach! We need to go _that _way!" She slammed her body against him, attempting to push the man from the seat. 2D held strong, but their fighting kept the sub going in a circle.

"Knock it off!" Russel picked Noodle up and held her tight under his arm, and, with his other hand, grabbed both of 2D's wrists. "We gotta li'le girl back here bleedin' to death! Now 'D, if your stupid fear is gonna keep you from steerin' this thing, then Noodle will drive."

The singer was staring straight out the window, watching the whale as it drifted by. His chest was rising and falling erratically, his jaw was hung open, his eyes had turned white. _She needs yew ta be strong. _"Leggo Russ, I can do ih." He wiped the sweat off his hands before gripping the controls again. The sub was turned back in the right direction, toward the whale. 2D's skin paled dramatically as the animal steadily grew in size.

"It's okay," Noodle whispered in his ear. "It's not the whale that was watching you, this is a different breed. It's not the whale, it's not the whale." With her by his side reassuring him, the sub passed by the behemoth mammal fish without the creature even giving notice. "Good job."

A loud cry drew their attention back behind them. Cyan was sitting up now, the bloodied knife in her hand, and a gaping hole in her shoulder. Her skin was pale and her hair matted in sweat. "Keep 'D drivin'," Russel told Noodle before he turned to tend to the child. He ripped one of Cyan's sleeves off and used it for bandages.

" 'Ow is she?" 2D craned his neck around.

"I ain' no doctor, but this is _bad_."

"I 'fink Muhdoc 'as a medical kit somewhere."

Noodle ducked around the periscope. "I'll find it." She slid and fell when the sub rocked, but crawled to the back shelves and started searching. Cyan lied down on the bench, her frail arms straining to press the bloody piece of cloth to her shoulder. She'd experienced pain before, beatings, lashings, scratches, burns, not to mention the wrench that knocked out her tooth, but this was a gaping hole in her shoulder. Silent tears started to slip down her cheeks. "I got it!"

The kit was thrown open, revealing various odd tools. There were rags covered in oil and different sized screwdrivers and wrenches. "Murdoc, you bastard!" Noodle flung the kit against the back shelves. "This is medical kit for Cyborg!"

2D turned around in his seat. "T'ere's nothin' in t'ere tha'll 'elp?"

"No...nothing can help us," her head sagged with her shoulders. "All we can do is get to land." She straightened up and went over to Cyan, checking the girl's pulse. "Please tell me you have some painkillers." The bottle was passed to her. "Cyan, these will help you, if only a little. Go to sleep," Noodle kept her hand over the girl's mouth to make sure the pills made it. "Go to sleep."

* * *

><p>They kept Cyan constantly drugged. The wound was only frontal, despite the length of the blade and how skinny her shoulders were, the knife hadn't pierced all the way through. It could have been a lot worse. They kept tearing rags off their own clothing to press on the wound. Anything clean was used. The passing of time wasn't really a factor anymore. They traveled well below the surface, near the bottom of the photic zone, not much sunlight reached them. It was just waiting and hoping as the hours passed.<p>

"I don' wont ih," Cyan batted Noodle's hand away. "I don' wont ta be drugged anymore. I 'ate ih."

"You need it," Noodle tried to pry her jaws apart, but was rewarded with sharp little teeth sinking into her hand. "Cyan! This is all we can do!" She was exasperated. Lack of food, water, and sleep were fraying her nerves, and Cyan not cooperating wasn't helping. "We don't have any other help."

"I'm fine," the girl tried to sit up, her arms shaking to support her thin frame. They gave out, causing her to fall back and strike her head on the bench. She didn't cry out, she only lay there. Her lips started moving, like she was talking, but no sound escaped. Noodle even tried leaning in, but there was nothing to hear. Finally, she spoke aloud, "I wont meh Da'."

2D practically tried to fly out of the chair, but his foot hooked on the controls and he fell. "No," said Russel sternly, "you stay there, I'll bring her to ya." He scooped her up as gently as he could, trying not to disturb the shoulder. He pressed his back against the wall to bring Cyan up to see her father.

" 'Ey Da'," she held out her trembling hand to him. He closed his fingers around it, her tiny hand compared against his awkwardly sized ones. "Lewk Daddy," she nodded toward the window, "dolphins." A large pod was playing up ahead, the babies swooping around the adults. When they spotted the sub, they became cautious. The adults began circling around the young ones.

"What's their problem?" Noodle went back to the periscope. "Oh God, there's a swarm of sharks following us!"

"Well, Stylo does lewk like a shark, maybe t'ey 'fink ih's t'eir mum," 2D reasoned.

"I've seen that with ducks, I don't think it applies to sharks. Steer around the dolphins we don't want them getting hurt."

"I don' 'fink we 'ave ta worry," Cyan croaked. The adults began streaming toward, then around them.

"They're chasing the sharks away," Noodle reported.

The rest of the pod began swooping around the sub. They would touch their snouts against the hull, but wouldn't strike or ram it. A few stopped in front of the window, gazing at the humans inside, specifically, it seemed, at Cyan. When they were rejoined by the elders, the pod began swarming them.

"I don't think they want to hurt us," Noodle nudged 2D out of the captain's chair. "Dolphins are intelligent, they realize it's not real."

* * *

><p>The pod circled them, herding them forward. Noodle kept her new position as driver throughout this time. 2D was curled up on a bench, Cyan held loosely in his arms. The girl was getting worse. Her forehead was heated, her skin was clammy, her lips were chapped and her gums were going pale, signs of dehydration.<p>

"Try it now," Noodle called over her shoulder.

Russel dialed on the emergency phone. "We're still too far out, baby-girl."

The radar had been picking up on approaching land mass. Stylo was now bobbing below the surface as they tried to get a signal out for help. The plan was for the ambulance or whatever they sent to meet them wherever the sub landed. So now, as they inched closer and closer, guided by the dolphins, they tried to get the signal working.

"Hang on!" Russel pressed the phone to his head. "We got it!" The sub exploded with 2D and Noodle's loud cheers. "Hello? Listen, we need help. We're inna personal, self-owned submarine movin' toward land. We gotta girl here who's injured bad, she needs major medical treatment. I'm not sure of our coordinates-" he paused, listening on the other end, "-okay." He pulled the phone away to inform them, "They got our signal marker, say we're headin' straight for a beach. The ambulances will meet us there, take her to the closest medical center, an' if they think she needs better resources they'll air-lift her out."

"Yer gonna be okay, love," 2D whispered to his half-conscious daughter.

Noodle activated the turbo jets. The dolphins broke away as the bottom of the sea began to slope upward. "We're going to beach ourselves!" Stylo groaned as the belly of the sub scraped against the ground. Then came the rumbling. 2D yelped as the bench he was on shifted out. Russel found himself caught on the second bench, which moved behind 2D's. As the sub peaked from the water, rolling onto land, it changed back into a car, Noodle in the driver's seat, 2D and Cyan in passenger, and Russel in the back. "Where does Murdoc get these things?"

Stylo rolled up to the higher point of the beach, a few people staring in awe at the sight. Seawater dripped from the car, racing back down the shoreline. Russel kicked his door open and climbed out. "I'll run up the road an' wave 'em down."

2D and Noodle climbed out as well. The few people on the beach crept closer but didn't say anything. Of course, the sight of a blue-haired man with no eyes, a Japanese woman with bruises on her face, and a blue-haired child bleeding to death was enough to scare anyone. " 'Scuse me?" 2D asked. "Do any o' yew 'ave any water? She needs water." A young man warily stepped forward, holding out a water bottle. Noodle snatched it and let a little leak through Cyan's parched lips. Her tongue flicked out to lick up every drop.

The ambulance pulled up at the top of the beach, Russel appearing behind it. "Come on!" he called out. Paramedics jumped out and rushed down to where the other band members were. They gasped when they saw Cyan's condition, then took her from 2D and headed back.

"Wait!" 2D whined, his arms still feeling heavy from the slight weight that had been just there. "Wait!" He stepped forward, legs shaking from the exhaustion weighing down on him. "Aishling!"

"We'll follow in the car," Russel nudged him up. "Follow just behind it."

* * *

><p>It wasn't a very big hospital, and the medics made it clear that Cyan would have to be airlifted as soon as they arrived. But they could get her on blood transfusions and pump water back into her body so she would be safe to make the journey. "The doctors will also bandage up the wound, but the big 'ospital will 'ave teh take care o' the rest." They waited for three hours, catching winks of sleep they had missed in the sub-now-car.<p>

"Wewd yew folks like some lunch?" asked a passing nurse.

"That would be nice," said Russel.

2D had his head rested in his palms. "I don' 'fink I can eat."

"We've been stuck in that sub fo' three days, you're eatin' even if I have to shove it down your throat."

When a doctor wearing a bloody smock walked into the waiting room, they raised their heads expectantly. "Are yew te family?"

"Yes," they all replied together.

"We've managed ta get 'er stable. The wound is bandaged up, an' she's 'ooked up ta water an' blood. Te 'elicopters will be 'ere soon. Which one o' yew is ridin' wiff 'er?" 2D raised his hand, but the doctor looked him up and down, his shaking body and pale complexion. "Ih wewd be best if someone who con 'andle an emergency go."

"I'll do it," Noodle spoke up. "Just give these two the directions to the hospital. We'll meet up there."

"Very well."

Noodle waited beside Cyan's transport bed as the helicopter touched down. She shivered, memories rushing back, but fought them down when she took the small girl's hand. The medics loaded her up before letting Noodle climb in after.

"Make sure 'er drips stay in place!" one of them informed her over the roar of the blades.

No one noticed a single dark shape climb in on the other side.

* * *

><p>"Don' worry, 'D," Russel squeezed in to the driver's seat. "We've got the directions, baby-girl'll look afteh her."<p>

"I trust Noodle," 2D sighed.

Before Russel could respond, he felt something cold pressed against his skull. He turned his head to look down the barrel of a gun.

"I didn' enjoy bein' left behind," Murdoc hissed.


	14. Grave of Innocence

Grave of Innocence

I am the voice of Dragons past

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>Noodle kept taking deep breathes, which was difficult to do at this altitude. The hospital bed was secured to the floor of the helicopter, and Cyan was strapped in place. She double-checked the medical tape on the child's wrist to make sure the drips hadn't slipped. The frail girl looked even smaller, the breathing mask almost covered her whole face. She was clad in long-sleeved white hospital pajamas, not a gown.<p>

"You're going to be okay," Noodle's words were ripped away with the chopping blades and the roar of the wind. The helicopter tilted, causing something to fall against her ankle. She looked down to see Cyan's backpack. _Did I bring that along subconsciously? _Whether that was true or not, she picked it up and began searching through. She found two stuffed animals, the rainbow cat and an old teddy bear, her radio helmet, the slingshot, and some of Cyan's clothes. The copter tilted again, this time much more dramatically. Noodle splayed her legs and arms so she wouldn't slip off her seat. Once it was leveled, she got up and started toward the front. "Pardon me, pilot? Could you be a bit more gentle?"

The man was slumped over in his seat, a figure standing beside him was handling the controls. They turned to stare at Noodle. A grin spread on their face.

"You!"

Cyborg Noodle yanked the controls to avoid turbulence, causing Noodle to grip the closest sturdy object.

"Why are you here?"

"I have been ordered to accompany you."

"This isn't accompanying, you killed him and now we're gonna die!"

"He is not dead, and I have everything under control."

Noodle settled on a small bench protruding from the wall. "Oh really? Fine...how did you get off Plastic Beach? And where's Murdoc?"

"Master is with Russel and 2D, heading for the same destination as us. We escaped the island's fate by retreating to the spare submarine."

"But that thing didn't have an engine."

"We improvised," Noodle swore she saw the robot shudder.

"So now what? You're going to fly us there?"

"Those are my orders."

"Whatever, just be careful. It's on open copter, if you tilt too much, something could fall out." _Why is it an open copter? Isn't that dangerous? _She returned to the bedside, her anger boiling under the surface. _Murdoc! Will nothing kill you? That island exploded into flames! _She crossed her arms over her chest and slouched down. _As long as we get there...alive. _

On cue, the copter slanted downward. Noodle shot back up. "That better be because of wind currents!" she shouted up to the cabin. The copter groaned and sputtered. "Hey!" she rushed up front. "You said you had everything under control!"

"Something beyond my control is happening," the robot replied evenly. "There are...dark things among us."

"Are you saying the Boogieman is sabotaging us?"

"Most likely." The copter fell into a deep slant. "Prepare yourself for impact."

Noodle rushed back to Cyan. The girl was still undisturbed, tightly latched in place. The woman swallowed nervously as she undid the buckles and picked the child up, unhooking the blood and water bags as she moved back. She picked up her radio helmet and shoved it on Cyan's head. _Any little protection. _Then she waited.

* * *

><p>A lone figure stood upon the canyon wall, looking down into the chasms. Noodle exhaled slowly. Her arm smarted horribly, half the skin was torn off or scraped up. She had landed on it. Cyborg had managed to pull the copter out of a complete nose-dive so it had skidded along the flat ground before falling on its side.<p>

"We continue from here," she turned to give the Cyborg a funny look.

"Are you serious? We have no idea where we are, you just crashed our only mode of transportation, we have a girl with near-fatal wounds on our hands,...and you want to walk from here?"

"Do you see any other way?"

_She has a point. _"Do we drag the hospital bed with us?" She was answered with Cyborg stooping to load Cyan on her back. "Oh hell no! She's in critical condition!" _And I don't want you carrying her. _"She has to stay hooked up to the bags."

"Carry them."

Noodle narrowed her eyes. "I have a better idea." She slipped Cyan's backpack on Cyborg's front and loaded the bags into it, zipping it almost all the way closed. "What about the pilot? How are we going to carry him along?"

"He has been... taken care of."

"Did you shoot him? !" Noodle started doubling back to the wreck. A firm hand caught her on the shoulder, holding her in place.

"He wasn't alive to begin with," said Cyborg. "One of the minions of Sun Moon Stars, he sabotaged us. We were doomed from launch."

Noodle stared at her, realizing what this meant. _If you hadn't been with us, we would be dead. _They started out on the flat land, traveling near the edge, casting glances into the gorge below. This place was a masterpiece of nature. Though devoid of any vegetation that could be considered beautiful, it held a certain grace with the stone monuments nature carved herself. _It looks dead, though. No animals, no trees, no water, weak little shrubs are all that prosper here. _She paused for a moment. _Why is it so familiar?_

"Hindered?" asked Cyborg.

"No...just confused."

"About what?"

_Why do you care? _"This place seems very familiar, almost hauntingly. I remember it, but they're bad memories."

"Nothing about this placed is stored in my thoughts. You are positive?"

"Yes," she insisted. "I've been here before. But something tells me I don't want to remember." She stumbled on a shrub root, falling to the ground. She hissed in pain, glancing toward the fall she had almost taken. "Oh my God..."

Cyborg stopped and turned to see what was holding up her new companion.

"I remember...and I was right." Tears filled her eyes. "I didn't want to remember." She pointed down into the canyon, offering no other explanation. Down at the very bottom was a huge pile of wreckage, blackened and burned by a fire that had died a long time ago. The canyon was no longer a feat of the wonderment of nature. It was a tomb. The grave of Slowboat, the Windmill Island. "Can we rest for a bit? I don't think I can walk."

"Muscular malfunction?"

"Just shut up and sit down." After setting Cyan flat upon the ground, she sank down and waited patiently. "Murdoc never told you about what happened to me, did he?"

"Master simply explained I was to replace you," she answered.

"Didn't you ever wonder?"

"No."

She sighed and drew her legs to her chest. "Would you mind if I cleared my conscience?"

"What is a conscience?"

"Would you just be quiet and listen to me?"

"Confirmed."

"It was here that we shot the El Manana video, it is also the grave of my innocence. Here was where I launched my own plot. I was getting tired of the rocker lifestyle, so I made an agreement with Murdoc. The video was to depict my death, and I was going to leave the band. I didn't tell Russel or 2D, which I regret with all my heart. Things weren't going too bad to begin with. I had escaped with a few cuts and bruises, nothing serious. For about a year, I traveled around, enjoying myself and the world. I didn't hear from the boys at all, not even Murdoc. I guess my heart began to scold me. So I went back to Kong-"

"Kong is destroyed," Cyborg cut in.

"Yeah...I know. I went back to Kong, but no one was there. I had figured as such, but went looking to see if they had left any clues about where they had split off to. I didn't know what I was going to do. I think I wanted to find 2D and maybe stay with him for a while, we would've both enjoyed that. I don't know what happened, but then there was darkness, then I woke up." She stopped and stayed silent for a long time.

"Conscience cleared?"

"No...I'm just wondering if I should try to delve that deep."

"Into the canyon?"

"Into my heart and mind. I woke up in Hell."

"Highly unlikely, scientifically speaking."

"Don't give me that science bull-crap! I know what I suffered, I know what I saw! It was Hell! Screaming, bloody, burning, pain-filled Hell!"

"Then how are you still here?"

"That is the question... I'm not quite sure."

"You are not aware of how you exist here once more?"

Noodle leaned back on her hands. "I know how it happened, but I don't know why it did. I escaped...because I was rescued by a demon."

"Once again, highly unlikely."

"That, I can agree with you on. But I don't know what else to call it. It was huge, three times as big as Russel is now, a lean body with spindly arms, legs, and fingers, covered in thick black fur. It had giant wings that stretched far over its head. It wore a flat helmet conjoined to its head with three spikes. Has Murdoc ever discussed such things with you?"

"Some specific demons Master has mentioned, but this one does not fit the description of any he has told me of."

"So it probably didn't know him, so it wouldn't know me. Then why did it help me?"

"Demons feed upon despair."

"But it brought me food once we had surfaced. It sheltered me in the ruins of Kong, wrapping me in its wings. It watched over me until I could walk and get my own food. Actually, the very day I went into town and came back with groceries, it was gone."

"Ih knew yew didn' need ih anymore," croaked a weak voice. The two turned their heads to see Cyan was awake. She could only see them out of the corner of her eyes, too weak to even turn her neck. "Once yew were strong enough ta survive on yer own...ih left yew."

Noodle crawled over to her. "How are you feeling? Are you in serious pain?"

"Still numb... wot 'appened?"

"The helicopter crashed and stranded us."

"T'en wot's tha'?" she pointed into the sky. A dark shape was flying overhead.

Noodle jumped to her feet. "We need a flare!"

Cyborg obliged by opening her mouth and shooting a red flare into the sky. The helicopter doubled around and headed right for them.

"We're saved!" Noodle cheered. "Hang on Cyan! Help is almost here."

Cyborg leaned over the edge to look down at the wreckage once more. _Grave of innocence-metaphor: a place where a person's child-like insight of the world is destroyed. Simplicity, purity, naivety, and virtue left behind. _She pushed a small rock over the edge and watched as it bounced down to the bottom. _Strange beings...humans._

* * *

><p>okay, I don't know <em>where <em>but somewhere, whether it was the Wiki, Wikipedia, the Fan Wiki, Gorillaz-Unofficial, the website, or just some random chat room, I read someone calling the Windmill Island by the name of Slowboat. I really liked the thought and decided to use it. I don't know if it's actually true.


	15. And In the End

And In the End

I am the voice of Dragons past

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>"Please sir, no smokin' in the waitin' room," asked a passing nurse.<p>

"Of course, deary," Murdoc sneered. He pretended to crush the cancer stick to get her to walk away. "I jus' spent a three hour car ride with Lards and 2-Dents, I'm 'avin' a smoke."

"Put it out, Murdoc," Russel insisted. "You may not care 'bout your health, but it's dangerous for others here." When the green skinned Satanist replied by flicking ash at him, he growled, "I'd punch ya, but that would be animal abuse."

"Hardy-harr-harr. 'Sides, there's no place to toss ih."

"There's a garbage can right there," Russel pointed to the bin across from them.

Murdoc stared at it. "If ih's more than five feet away, ih becomes unnecessary."

"I'm gonna stop talkin' to you." He turned away.

"Well Faceache ain' sayin' nothin', so yew'v struck a dead end."

"Will you shut up?" Russel lowered his voice. "He's in distress."

2D was sitting two chairs down, his dark eyes staring into nothing. The only sign he gave of being alive was the slight fall and rise of his chest. He made no sounds or movements. His hands were folded neatly in his lap, his knuckles bloody from biting on them. Although no one could tell because of its shagginess, a couple clumps of hair were missing from his head. They had arrived not too long ago, only to discover Noodle and Cyan, and Cyborg apparently, hadn't shown up. They were informed that the helicopter that had arrived at the first hospital was an unmarked one not even employed by any company. He shuddered and dug into his pocket, retrieving his pill bottle. His hands were shaking badly, he couldn't even get the top off. After a couple tries, he stared at the bottle, a strange look passing on his face, before pocketing it again.

"Tha's great!" said the receptionist. She hung up the phone and rose from her chair to talk with the police and doctors standing by the desk. "The rescue copter jus' picked 'em up! They'll be 'ere soon, prep the O.R."

Russel reached over and tapped 2D on the shoulder. "Did'ja here that 'D? They're okay, they'll be here soon."

He only nodded and continued to stare forward. But he was crying and smiling at the same time.

"Are yew cryin'?" asked Murdoc.

"No," he choked. "I'm impersonatin' a fountain."

* * *

><p>"I know yer eager, but wait till we touch down!" the attendant yelled over the roar of the blades. He held Noodle back after she had tried to jump. It was only a five foot drop, but it was protocol. They only needed one injured girl in that copter. "Now go!" he gave her a slight shove to show it was okay.<p>

Noodle took a flying leap off the edge and onto the landing pad. She pushed past the medics and doctors waiting to unload Cyan and take her straight to her operation. She slid to a halt on the linoleum floor, looking around for the waiting room. It was big hospital, but she wandered around at top speed before crashing into something solid at the candy machine. "Russel!"

"Baby-Girl! What happened to you guys? The first copter wasn' from a company and ya should've been here before us."

"I'll tell all of you together. Murdoc's with you, right?"

"And Cyborg's with you?"

"Yep. I hate to admit it, but we...sorta owe our lives to her. Ah, here she comes." The Cyborg was coming toward them in a straight-leg military stride. Noodle half-expected her to salute and present arms. "Let's go sit with Murr-doc and 2D, Cyan is taken care of." She talked slowly, slurring some of her words.

"Noodle-love!" the blue haired singer jumped up and crushed her in a tight hug. "I wos so scared! We arrived an' yew an' Cyan weren' 'ere an' we 'eard yer 'elicopter crashed an' tha' ih wasn' employed by any company an'-"

"Calm down, we're okay," she assured him. "Your kid's in the O.R. right now. I'm okay, she's going to be okay."

"T'en why is yer arm bleedin'?"

She stared wide-eyed and prodded at the tender flesh. "I can't feel it. They gave me something real good on the plane."

"Yew mean 'elicopter?"

"That's it! It was a copter. Thanks 2D, that had been bo-thhh-er-ing me for such a long time!" She started giggling.

"For Christ sakes!" said Murdoc. "Wot the 'ell did they give ya?"

"I don't know! But I'm loving it!" she collapsed in one of the chairs.

One of the helicopter attendants appeared from a hallway. "Ah, there ya are." He approached Noodle, checking her pupils and heart-rate. "In a few minutes, she's goin' to feel really sleepy," he told the boys. "Jus' make sure she doesn' fall or anythin'."

* * *

><p>Russel used a tissue to wipe away Noodle's drool. The attendant had been right, she was out cold in just a few moments of him leaving. She was slumped in the chair, about an inch away from slipping off the end and taking a nap on the floor. It was probably more comfortable than these chairs. He was beginning to feel stiff from sitting there for the first three hours, now add the two additional ones as they waited for any news on Cyan's condition.<p>

"Is t'is normal?" 2D was becoming frantic. "Ih takin' t'is long? Shewdn't t'ey be out by now?" He got and started pacing.

"Sit down!" Murdoc growled. He was drinking rum from a cough medicine bottle. He had sent Cyborg out for both. They could only imagine how good he was feeling in the head right now. "Yer makin' people nervous."

"An' a green-skinned, snaggle-toothed old man spoutin' obscenities isn'?" said Russel. Actually, night had fallen by this time, so the few people who remained behind were most likely going to camp there while they waited for news on their loved ones. "An' 'D, just calm down. It'll take as long as it takes. Do ya want them to do a thorough job?"

A doctor came into the waiting room, scanning over a clipboard. 2D looked up eagerly, but he passed them right by and went over to a large group waiting in the corner. "She's awright. The baby's 'ealthy an' they're both restin'." The group sighed in relief.

2D sank back down into his chair. "Someone jus' 'ad a baby." Russel only nodded, Murdoc grunted, but Cyborg cocked her head in the group's direction, mildly interested.

" 'Ello?" they all looked up. Another doctor was standing before them. "I am 'appy to say tha' the child Cyan is out of surgery an' is restin' comfortably. Yew can see 'er but-"

" 'Fank yew!" 2D jumped up and hugged him. " 'Fank yew so much!"

"Yes, I get tha' often," the doctor composed himself when 2D let go. "Yew can see 'er, but yew 'ave to be quiet. Let 'er rest." The blue-haired man took off down the halls, not even knowing what the room number was. The doctor turned to Russel.

"He'll come back, don' worry."

"The room number is 42. Please tell 'im not to run."

Noodle stirred, stretching and slipping to the floor. "What happened?" she rubbed her eyes. "Where am I? Oh, hello Russel."

"Did'ja enjoy your nap?"

"How did I get here?"

"I don' know where ta go!" 2D whined, walking back toward them.

* * *

><p>The door to room 42 cracked open quietly. It opened wider, inch by inch, making slight creaking sounds.<p>

" 'E meant don' make any loud noises!" Murdoc shouted from the hall.

The door was pushed open all the way when 2D was shoved from behind. He stumbled around before falling to the floor to so as not to make anymore noise. The others stepped in behind him, walking carefully around the empty bed to get to the one with an occupant. Cyan looked pitiful, almost as white as her pajamas and sheets. She didn't have a breathing mask on, a good sign. Her blood and water bags were also over halfway empty. Her wrist guard and Noodle's radio helmet were laying at the bottom of the bed.

" 'Er ribs were cracked," the doctor was at the doorway, reading off his clipboard. "We stitched 'er up, thank God the wound wasn' all the way through. We also noticed 'er wrist an' leg. We managed to fix the leg, she'll walk without a limp. There'll be the scar, o' course. We weren' able to do anythin' 'bout the wrist. It already 'ealed, we would 'ave to break ih again to fix ih, an' ih may jus' cause more damage. Ih'll jus' be stiff, but she'll still be able to use ih. In time, ih won' botheh 'er anymore. I'll leave yew to ih." He shut the door.

2D claimed the chair closest to the bed. Noodle was still unsteady from the drug, so Russel put her in the empty bed while he stood. Murdoc and Cyborg claimed whatever other chairs there were. No one spoke, the silence only interrupted by the beeping of the heart monitor. The child was breathing evenly, not very loud, she was asleep. The steady movement of her chest was comforting to watch. Her fingers twitched every so often and her voice could be picked up through her breathing, but it was just mumbling.

"Well I'm tired," Murdoc stood up and stretched. "Gonna go scout ou' an empty room an' crash fer the night." He left, Cyborg following right behind.

Almost immediately, Cyan's ocean eyes cracked open. She coughed few times, finding her voice. "Playin' dead, useful sometimes."

"I'm so glad yer awright!" 2D touched her uninjured shoulder, afraid to do anything beyond that.

"Ya had us goin' there fo' a moment," said Russel. Noodle rolled off the bed in the background.

"We need ta talk," Cyan sat up with a little difficulty. "I know as well as any o' yew tha' Mistah Muhdoc won' give up. Plastic Beach may be gone, but 'e'll find a new place, an' 'e'll take us wiff 'im."

"That man has sold his soul to be famous," Noodle used the bedside to climb to her feet. "And he'll take us down with him. We need to get away."

2D shuddered. " 'E'll find us. I 'fought I wos safe at meh apartment, but 'e found me! We can' escape, wherever we go, 'e can track us down."

"But what about your dreams for a better life? We're not at Point Nemo anymore, we're on the mainland. We actually have a chance."

"But where con we go so tha' 'e won' find us?"

"You're probably right about how he can track us down..."

2D stood up and leaned in close to her, whispering quietly. " 'E wonts me ta sing, 'e 'as Cyborg fer guitar an' te drum machine. If 'e comes fer us, I'll go willingly, jus' please take care o' Cyan."

"I promise," she whispered back.

The child unhooked herself from the monitor and needle drips. She reached for the radio helmet, pulling her necklace chain out of it. She wrapped it around her wrist and placed the guard back on. "We 'ave till mornin'. T'en ih's too late."

* * *

><p>Murdoc groaned as he shuffled along, Cyborg marching behind him. The beds weren't comfortable, it was a wonder how he had caught any sleep. Doctors and nurses were rushing around, but he was too tired to listen in. One doctor was standing by the door of room 42, two small slips of paper in his hands. "Are yew Murdoc?" he asked.<p>

"Yeah."

"This is fer yew," he handed him one of the papers and walked away with the other.

_Dear Murdoc,_

_We have a chance and we're taking it. We left the hospital last night and have taken Stylo. We're going to find a new place to call home, far away from everything you've done. We won't let you imprison us anymore, your deals almost killed Cyan and it certainly won't be the last time if we stay with you. We've left a check for the hospital bill. Hunt us if you want, we won't back down. _

_~Noodle_

Murdoc growled and crumpled the paper. He threw it to the ground and twisted his boot heel on it. "Those ungrateful bastards!" His nails dug into his palms when he clenched his fists. "After everythin' I've done fer them, they go an' do this!" He turned to face Cyborg. "They took meh car!"


	16. The Return of Stylo

The Return of Stylo

I am the voice of Dragons past

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>"Are you tired, 'cause I can drive for you."<p>

"Do yew know 'ow ta drive a car?"

"I drove this thing as a sub."

"But t'is version is easier ta crash. Take a nap."

Noodle settled into the passenger seat, re-situating Cyan on her chest. The child had her head laid on her shoulder, fast asleep. It was dark out now, they had driven all day long in their attempt to put as much distance between themselves and Murdoc. They knew he would come for them. That man didn't know when to call it quits. Besides, he was probably pissed that they stole his car twice. Russel snored away in the backseat, taking the whole thing up, which was why Noodle and Cyan were sharing the front.

"Lewk," 2D tapped her arm, "te sun's comin' up. Over t'ere on te 'orizon." Indeed, another night survived, no Murdoc yet. "Isn' ih pretty?" A light show of nature that turned the sky a soft pink with streaks of gold.

"It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," Noodle yawned widely. She insisted in staying up with 2D. Russel couldn't fit in the driver's seat, and she was a true novice at cars, so it was up to him mostly. She just wanted to make sure he had company through the night.

"Yew shewd really take nap, love."

"I'm not a child," but her tone was slow and loose. She was tired, exhausted really, but determined. She sighed and looked into her side view mirror. "We got company." A black car, she couldn't tell what brand, was approaching very quickly, a dust cloud billowing from its back tires.

"Spyglass," 2D handed the tool over to her.

Noodle twisted her torso so as not to disturb Cyan too much. She rolled down her window and poked her head out. "Well what do ya know!" Murdoc was bent over his wheel, a look pure rage plastered on his face as the car accelerated. Cyborg was in the passenger seat, a shotgun rested on her shoulder. "We're screwed."

"Is it him?" Russel sat up the backseat.

"Yep," Cyan stirred as well, one hand gripping Noodle's shoulder as she leaned down to retrieve her backpack on the floor. "An' Cyborg's gotta gun." She pulled her slingshot from the pack, along with a handful of golf balls. " 'Old on ta me," she instructed Noodle. The girl slipped the top half of her body out the window, taking aim with the slingshot.

"No!" 2D swiped at her, the car swerving. "Tha's makin' me nervous! Quit ih!"

"Yew gotta a betteh idea?" She let one of the golf balls fly, striking the windshield and rewarded with a spiderweb crack. "Got 'im. If 'e can' see, 'e can' follow."

"You don't know how wrong you are," Noodle muttered.

Cyborg poked out of her window now, positioning the gun. Because Stylo was an American car, she was taking aim at Cyan from the opposite side. But it didn't really matter. The slingshot band was pulled back and let fly. The golf ball once again found its mark, Cyborg's forehead. The robot girl was thrown back, almost falling out the window altogether. She dropped her gun, it being swallowed up by the dust cloud.

"Oh yeah!" Cyan waved her arms around, hissing slightly from the stretching of her stitches. "I rule!" She allowed Noodle to pull her back inside. "Who needs guns? I got me a slingshot! Tha's ace!"

"He's slowin' down," said Russel.

"An' we're speedin' up," 2D nodded forward, the distant skyline of a city springing up. "We'll lose 'im in t'ere, t'en continue on our way."

"Why continue?" said Noodle. "We've been driving for a whole day without food or water. Why don't we lose him, find a hotel, and hide Stylo? We'll stay the night then run off tomorrow."

* * *

><p>Russel and 2D tugged the cover over Stylo, hiding the black car from prying Murdoc-eyes. They had parked near the back of the parking garage with a group of darker colored cars. Noodle and Cyan had already gone up to the room, saying something about a well-needed bath.<p>

"We good?" said Russel.

"I 'fink so." 2D walked around the car, messing with the cover here-and-there. "Let's 'ead up."

"Ya know, I'm impressed lately."

"Really?" they climbed into the empty lift.

"You're really takin' this parentin' thing seriously."

"I 'ave ta, I'm awl she's got now. No more fun an' games, screwin' 'round. She needs me, Russel, an' I'm gonna make sure I'm t'ere fer 'er."

"She doesn' just have you, she has us too."

"Tha's also somefink I've been meanin' ta ask yew. Yew don' 'ave ta stay wiff us, yew cewd go off an' find a normal life."

The doors opened and they stepped out onto the third floor, but Russel grabbed 2D by the back of his shirt, stopping him in place. "Don'chu ever think I'd leave you guys. You're my family, we all need each otheh, we have to take care of each otheh. If you go thinkin' I'd leave ya jus' 'cause Muds is off our backs for now, you need to do some re-thinkin'." He let him go, the two walking down the hallway. "It's weird..."

"Wot?"

"Murdoc always was the leader, ya know? He told us what to do an' everthin'. But he ain' here now. You're guidin' us now, you're leadin' us home."

"Are yew sayin' I'm like Muhdoc?"

"No, I'm sayin' you're the leader Murdoc never was." They stopped in front of the their room door. Number 230. 2D reached up and covered the zero with his hand.

"Tha' numbeh follows us, I swear." He took out the other card key, swiped it under the laser and opened the door. They were both blasted with a cloud of steam. Noodle, wrapped tightly in a towel, turned to looked at them.

"Hey there! I've never felt so rejuvenated! They have scented water!"

"It probably costs more to use it, baby-girl," Russel wiped the droplets forming on his brow.

"But we're rich! We each have funds from Gorillaz to dip into."

"I swore I'd neveh use tha' money," 2D stared off into the cloud.

"We'll we're gonna need to if we're to find a new home. You two stay there, we're changing."

2D was the last to shower. Like a kind-hearted alpha male, he made sure the rest of his pack was taken care of before he did anything. Noodle was right, he felt like new. Clenched muscles relaxed, his hair wasn't greasy anymore, some of his pain with his bruises faded. He slipped his boxers back on and walked out, rubbing his hair dry with the towel.

Cyan was leaned back against a pile of pillows on one of the beds, Noodle laying on her stomach, clad in hotel pajamas, on the same bed, flipping through channels on the television. "Down in front!" she shouted when he passed by, "put some pants on!" He grinned and leapt at her, pulling her off the bed and down into the crevice between the two beds. She squealed like when she was a kid as he tickled her relentlessly.

"Hey! We got neighbors now," Russel was sitting at the room table, looking through a pamphlet of contacts. "Quiet down before complaints come rollin' in."

Noodle poked her head up from the crevice. "Can we get room service? I'm starving!"

"Same 'ere!" 2D called from down below, Noodle was sitting on him.

"Me too," Cyan chirped.

"Okay, we'll order in," he reached for the phone, "but after that, we gotta figure out where we're gonna go."

"Someplace Muhdoc wewdn't 'fink ta lewk," 2D shoved Noodle off and stood up. "Maybe we shewd go ta America, 'ide in ta cities, ya know?"

"Why go ta a different continent?" said Cyan. "Stay 'ere an' 'ide out in rural England. Yew 'fink 'e'll survive in ta country, 'cause I don'."

"I like that idea," said Noodle. "Murdoc in the country, he wouldn't last a day."

"Yes, yes, but I got one 'fing ta say," 2D interrupted, "no matteh wot, no matteh where we go, we stay togetheh. We're a family."

"Right!" they replied together.

* * *

><p>Stylo rolled along the roads. They weren't in bad condition, as one would think of country roads, but they weren't new either. So far, they had passed several cities, but now they were surrounded by rolling green hills. The spring sun had broken through the overcast, the wind swept its fingers through the grass.<p>

"I have no clue where we are," Noodle passed the map back to Russel. "But it is pretty."

"Fork in ta road," 2D slowed the car to get a good look at the signs. "Gotta good feelin' 'bout Ridgeshire."

"It's on the map," said Russel.

"Let's go!" said Cyan.

They continued onward, the road sweeping around hills to show a city in the distance. "Well, ih's out t'ere. A city in ta rurals," said 2D. "Where does t'is road go?" Another road forked off from the main. It led over some hills before dipping out of sight. He turned the car onto this road, a strange feeling welling up inside. _Te road is cawlin' ta me. _They reached the top of the rise and got an amazing view.

A town was nestled in the shallow valley below. It was a fairly large town with some bigger constructions, but lacked tall buildings. "It's picture perfect," Noodle whispered in awe. They could see a lake off in the distance, a road leading to it. There was also patches of farmland here and there.

"Let's see te town," Cyan bumped at her father's hands on the wheel.

Stylo began to roll down the hill. _T'is is ih, _thought 2D. _T'is place...ih lewks so wonderful. _They came past a sign.

**Welcome to Valleyridge**

Noodle laughed. "That name's kind of an oxymoron in itself, isn't it?"

* * *

><p>They parked at the Northridge Hotel. Some people gawked at them, but went about their business. Of course, who wouldn't stop to look at a black man, a Japanese woman, and two bluenettes climbing out of a bullet-ridden black car? 2D carried Cyan into the building.<p>

" 'Ello," said a friendly young woman behind the counter. "Welcome ta the Northridge 'Otel."

"T'is place is lovely," Cyan spoke up.

"The town? Oh yes, meh fiance an' I recently moved 'ere. Ih's a wonderful place, real family-friendly. Everybody knows everybody."

"Really?" said 2D. "Wot can yew say 'bout te 'ousing market?"

"They jus' built some new ones over in Westridge, fancy ones. I'll give ya the directions if yew wanna go take a look."

"Tha' wewd be appreciated."

"Well," she began scribbling down on a piece of paper. "Ih's always easy to spot new folk, but yew'll fit righ' in. If yer serious 'bout findin' a 'ome 'ere, yer new neighbors will get ya settled in righ' an' cozy."

"I didn't know places like this existed," said Noodle.

"One in a million, dear."

* * *

><p>They had to stop for directions because there was no sign to indicate 'Westridge'. They found out that that was their version of directions. The town of Valleyridge was split into four directions, Northridge, Westridge, Eastridge, and Southridge. Thus, they headed for the western part of town. It wasn't like the suburbs over here. The buildings of the town faded off from side view as Stylo rolled onto an upward slope.<p>

It was a steady climb, not steep at all. Tall trees grew on both sides of the road, not thick like a forest, but a little more spaced out. They could see a house with a barn and animals on the right down the hill. When they rose to the crest, they saw the house. On their right, nestled nicely on a flat outcrop of the hill. If one faced the driveway, the left side sloped downward into a small woods. The back of the house faced down the hill, a wide open plain of green grass and the hills in the distance.

More houses lay behind them, each with a large yard, some with gardens, some had play-sets for children. They climbed out, taking in the sights around them.

"Lewk Da'!" said Cyan, tugging at 2D's shirt. "Trees! Real trees! An' songbirds!"

" 'Ello there!" a man was climbing up the slope, coming into the yard of the house for sale. He looked to be in his forties, a kindly face with a scraggly short beard streaked with gray. He had dark hair and warm, gray eyes. He was thin, but had a broad chest. "I live down the 'ill. Name's Christofferson Norsby, but folks in town cawl me Mister Christofferson."

"Ih's a pleasure, I'm 2-" he coughed to hide his mistake. "Sorry, I'm Stuart Pot. T'is is meh daughter Cyan, an' meh close friends Noodle an' Russel Hobbs."

Mister Christofferson shook each of their hands. "Noodle? Tha' a nickname, love?"

"Pretty much, can't even remember my real name," she replied.

He shrugged. "No problem. Tha's a nasty bruise."

"Bad run-in with some people, it's well on the mend."

"Also, wot's with..." he looked 2D up and down. "The 'air?" he finally said.

"Several things happen when one takes many strikes to the head, three consecutive times did all this," Noodle explained.

"Then 'ow..." he looked down at Cyan.

"We're not quite sure about that."

"Oh, are yew the mother?"

Noodle blushed. "No, no I'm not."

"Mother in early teens," Cyan giggled. "Tha' wewd be weird." Her attention was caught when she heard a snapping noise.

"Ah there ya are boy!" said Mister Christofferson. "Come on out, Art!"

A young boy peeked from behind a tree. He had dark, almost black hair and gray eyes as well. He looked at each of them in turn, particularly at Cyan, before hiding again.

"Art, come on! Don' be rude."

"I'm not bein' rude Dad," his muffled voice replied. He poked his head around again, staring at Cyan. It was difficult to see, but he had a slight blush on his face.

"Oh," said Mister Christofferson, a knowing smile on his face. "I see."

"No yew don'!" the boy marched out from behind his cover and right up to them. "I'm Arthur Norsby, yer... Cyan, righ'?"

"Yep," she replied calmly.

"Well uh...if yew do buy the 'ouse, yew can come oveh anytime. We 'ave 'orses, I can teach yew ta ride."

"Tha' wewd be lovely."

* * *

><p>"I 'fink we found our new 'ome," 2D pulled into the hotel parking lot. "T'is is a wonderful place-"<p>

"That obviously he can track us at!" Noodle pointed forward.

There, waiting for them with his arms crossed over his chest, was Murdoc Niccals, leaning against his car, or whoever's car it was before he took it. Cyborg was waiting by the passenger door.

"Doesn'-'e-eveh-give-up? !" 2D banged his head on the wheel with each word.

"Let's face the music," Noodle climbed out, the others following.

"Fun's over!" Murdoc growled. "I've 'ad ih! Yer awl gonna get yer arses in tha' car an' we're leavin'! I found a great place fer our new base. Ih's an old mine shaft a mile below the surface. Let's go!"

Cyborg marched forward and grabbed Cyan by the arm. She shrieked in pain, it was her right shoulder.

"Stop tha! Let 'er go!" 2D ordered, rushing at the robot. He was knocked back against Stylo, his jaw aching, but he stood up and tried again. When he was knocked back a second time, Noodle joined him at his side to rush her cyber twin together.

"I will not tolerate this!" the lady from the counter was standing in the doorway, a cellphone in her hand. "Knock ih off, or I cawl the cops."

"Don't," said Noodle, "we've got this under control."

"Muhdoc!" 2D shouted. "I've 'ad ih wiff yew! Awl yew've done te entire time I've known yew is beat me up an' put me down! I'm done!"

Murdoc advanced on him, his teeth bared. "Wot are yew sayin', Faceache?"

He didn't even flinch. "I'm sayin' I'm done. No more music, no more singin', no more abuse. I've finally found a place where I wont ta raise meh daughter in a safe enviroment, an' I'm stayin'!"

"Stu," he said in an oily voice, "yew don' mean tha'. C'mon, things'll be better, we'll awl get along."

" 'Quoth the Raven, 'Nevermore','" Noodle spat.

"Not funny, love," said Murdoc.

"I mean ih! I'm finished Muhdoc! Now yew take yer stupid robot an' get outta 'ere!" Silence followed 2D's final shout. His chest heaved from his rage.

"Go away, Murdoc," said Noodle. "We're all done."

"Leave," said Russel.

"An' neveh come back," Cyan added.

"Wot? Yer awl turnin' on me now?" he glared at them. "Well fine! I can make ih on meh own! C'mon Cyborg!" The robot let go of Cyan and obediently climbed into the car.

"Please move yer car," the counter-lady said to 2D, "ih's blockin' the driveway."

He did so, Russel and Noodle moving off to the side to direct him. Cyan almost screamed when she felt something sharp prod her in the shoulder.

"Yer dad's made a 'uge mistake," said Murdoc. "One 'e's gonna regret." His eyes stared deep into her soul.

"Are yew gonna kill me?" she whispered.

"No...well...no." He knelt beside her. "If yew think tha' runnin' away from Plastic Beach is keepin' yew safe, yer wrong. The danger will never leave yew." He grabbed her left hand, opened the palm, and dropped something inside before closing her fingers around it. "This will keep ya safe, yew an' the others." He stood up and returned to his car.

She opened her fingers to look at the gift. It was a necklace pendant, a red heart with little wings and an E carved in the center. _T'is will keep me safe?_

Murdoc's car pulled out to the street and began on its way. They watched it together, watched as it got smaller and smaller. It was going...going... he was gone.

And he stayed gone for three years.

* * *

><p>I made up Valleyridge and Ridgeshire, never been to England. Norsby is actually one of my family's names. My maternal grandmother's maiden name.<p>

After remembering Murdoc and 2D's banter over 2D wanting a catchphrase, I gave Cyan one. Whenever she's impressed by something or really happy, she says "Tha's ace."


	17. Valleyridge

Valleyridge

I am the voice of Dragons past

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>The little bell on the door chimed lightly. A mother walked into the music store, her teenage son and young daughter in tow. There were different displays of all kinds of instruments. Guitars, different sized drums, keyboards, woodwinds and brass to a lesser extent, and a few more exotic ones. Some fancier looking instruments were displayed in glass cases, specifically, a keyboard hung on the wall, a Gibson Les Paul inside a case built into the wall, a pair of drumsticks next to the register, and a green melodica. The daughter rushed to the middle of the room, where a donkatron was an open display.<p>

"If yer gonna play wiff tha', I suggest adjustin' te volume. We don' need ta be shatterin' any windows." A young girl, so small and skinny that she couldn't be a day over nine, ten at the most, was sitting behind the counter on a piano stool spun to the very top. Any unnecessary movement and she would probably topple off. She had a fair face with deep, piercing, ocean-blue eyes. She wore a blue, tiger-striped jacket that hung open to show a black t-shirt with the white silhouette of a howling wolf. She wore jeans, a black nylon dog collar, and a pair of steampunk goggles rested on her forehead. But what really drew the most attention was her hair. Deep azure blue, short and choppy in the front, top, back, and sides, except for at her temples, where two long strands, one on each side, extended to chin length. These were decorated with barrettes. " 'Ow may I 'elp yew?"

"Yeah," said the son, "meh dad gave me this, meh first guitar. Some old bloke tried to make off with ih when I set ih down on the sidewalk. I ran afteh 'im an' 'e dropped ih. Ih's chipped up, the body's cracked, an' some o' te strings broke." He swung the old acoustic guitar on the counter.

The girl picked up a bookmark and placed it between the pages of her book. The mother craned her neck to look at the title. Animal Farm. "Wewdn't yew ratheh read somethin' more age appropriate?" The girl gave her a funny look before placing the book beneath the counter and pulling out a new one. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. _Much betteh._

"T'is is a beauty," the girl ran her fingers over the neck. "Passed down, ya said?"

"Tha's right," replied the son. "Means a lot to me. Yew play?"

"Not much guitar, but I do play." She moved her hand over to a blue melodica placed by the register. "An te banjo," she gestured to the instrument leaned against a barrel of vuvuzela behind her. It was then the mother and son saw a large dog napping on his bed behind the counter. "Meh Da' gave 'em ta me too." She picked up the damaged guitar and hopped off the stool. "I'll talk wiff our expert." She disappeared through an open doorway to a back room.

Meanwhile, the daughter began to peruse some of the guitar models. Like her big brother, she wanted to play guitar as well. He promised to pass the old acoustic to her, something she waited for eagerly. A shiny blue-gray Fender Stratocaster caught her eye, causing her to squeal lightly. She was surprised when a door they hadn't noticed earlier, hidden between guitar cases on the left wall, opened and a man walked through. He was very tall and lean, with shortly cut blue hair just like the counter girl. He turned his head to look at her. She almost gasped when she saw his eyes were two deep sunken holes.

"Enjoyin' te guitars? I prefer keyboards," he said in a high vocal Cockney accent, just like the girl. He pointed to the keyboard on the wall in the display case. "Tha' one's mine." He grinned at her, showing he had no front teeth. But there was something endearing about it that made her grin back. "Did Cyan 'elp yew folk?" he asked the mother and son.

"The li'le girl? Yeah, is she...?" the mother trailed off, looking him up and down.

"Yeah, she's meh kid."

"Yew let a nine year old work the front desk?"

"Nine? No, she's eleven."

"Wot? But she's so li'le an' yer really tall!"

"I don' let ih botheh me," Cyan walked back out from the back room. A woman followed her. She had short blue-ish purple hair and green eyes, which they only noticed when she got close enough. She also had a bruise that resided on her right eyelid, but she was bright and cheerful. She carried the guitar close to her body.

"Don't let her size fool you, Cyan's more than capable of taking care of herself." She stopped in front of them, positioning the guitar as if she was to play it. "This _is_ a beauty. You should be proud."

"I am," said the son. "Tha's why I wont ta fix ih. Meh friends keep sayin', 'Jus' get a new one', but I know I can' do tha'."

"Good for you. I have a current project I'm finishing, so check back in four days. Do you live close?"

" 'Bout a half-hour drive. But ih's no problem fer me."

The woman fiddled with the fingers of her left hand on the neck. They noticed a lovely wedding band on her ring finger. Though not being one to pry, the mother glanced over to the blue-haired man and saw he wore one too. "Is Cyan yer daughter?" she asked the woman.

She chuckled. "Why does everyone think that? No, Cyan is not my daughter, but Stuart," she nodded at the man, "is my husband. For Cyan to be my kid, I would've," she paused for a moment, "given birth to her in my teens. We see each other more as sisters."

"I got yer cookies, love!" The man, Stuart, waved a small bag in the air. "We share te building an' rent wiff te bakery next door," he explained.

The woman set the guitar against the counter. It was then another crucial fact was exposed. "Oh!" said the mother, a smile creeping on her face. "Yer pregnant! Tha's wonderful."

"Y-yes," the woman looked startled. "Wow, I'm only three months, and not many people can tell."

"Oh believe me, I 'ave twins bein' babysat at meh sister's 'ouse righ' now. I can see these things. Congratulations!"

A large African American man stepped out from the back room. "Hey Cyan, we need some more screws. Can ya run down to the hardware store?"

"On ih!" Cyan retrieved some money from the register before racing toward the door. "C'mon Ferdinand!" The dog loped around the counter and joined her.

"Ferdinand the Bull-Mastiff," said the mother, recognizing the breed. " 'Ow cleveh."

* * *

><p>Cyan zipped up her jacket to protect herself from the late October chill before clambering on her bike. It had been three years since they had arrived here, and they were, without a doubt, the best years of her life. She had everything she wanted and needed, but people didn't dare say 2D spoiled her. She was a polite and courteous child, mostly stemming from a cotillion class that Poppy Norsby, Mister Christofferson's wife, had insisted she take for Noodle and 2D's wedding. Hours of brain-numbing boredom, but Cyan actually felt that, in the long run, they had improved her greatly.<p>

She peddled down the street, Ferdinand trotting alongside. 2D had been right about his promises. Cyan had wanted a pet, so she got a pet. She was in school, sixth grade because she proved her intelligence despite being younger than everyone else in class. She passed a few stores, Halloween decorations decked in the front windows. Tomorrow was the haunting holiday, along with Noodle's birthday. She was going trick-or-treating with Arthur Norsby, then to the community center where she'd meet up with 2D, Noodle, and Russel.

She came to a halt in front of the hardware store, Mister Christofferson's store to be exact. She parked her bike against the wall and went inside, Ferdinand following. " 'Ello Misteh Christofferson," she greeted her neighbor at the front counter.

" 'Ello Cyan," he raised his voice.

She waited, the pounding of footsteps from the back growing steadily louder. Arthur skidded between shelves and headed straight for her. She waited for the glomp. He tackled her to the ground and the two wrestled, the other customers just stepping over them. Ferdinand barked happily, licking any patch of exposed skin on the two children.

"Okay!" she pushed him off. "Russel needs more screws," she approached the counter, holding out the money.

"Taken care of," he took the money and handed her the bag. "Wot are yew fer Halloween?"

"Ih's a surprise." She tapped the side of her nose. "Yew'll find out tomorrow."

* * *

><p>When she arrived back at the music shop, the family had left. She delivered the screws to Russel, looking over at Noodle sitting at her work bench, munching on the cookies. <em>I know wot I'm gonna do. <em>2D had taken the front desk, adjusting the seat accordingly. She waved at him before going through the inside door to the bakery. This was a large building that had been split into two separate ones. The bakery workers and her family shared paying the rent for the whole building.

" 'Ello!" she said cheerfully.

" 'Ow's ih 'anging?" Sunshine replied. Sunshine and Cyril were twins, both co-owners of the shop. Their other workers were Theodore and Lila, and technically Naomi, but she was a strange case. An African American girl of seventeen, she was technically employed at the bakery, but kept switching back and forth between the two sides. Even though she wasn't employed by Cyan's family, they paid her for her time since she was friendly and a hard worker. Mostly she hung out with them, helping Cyan with whatever homework she was having trouble with. But she liked Russel in particular. Her father had died of cancer when she was twelve, and Russel seemed to be filling the void.

"Con I get a jelly doughnut?" Cyan jumped up on one of the few empty spinning bar stools at the crowded front counter. Since they shared rent, the bakery workers were always happy to spare a few sweets with their neighbors.

"I'm on ih!" Naomi appeared from the kitchen. " 'Ey Cyan, 'it puberty yet?"

"Why do yew ask tha' every time we see each otheh?"

" 'Cause ya need to grow up, small fry!" she laughed. Cyan did like Naomi. She was always fun to be around.

The inside door cracked open again. "Cyan," 2D called, "Noodle's goin' 'ome, yew goin' wiff 'er?"

She licked her fingers clean of the raspberry filling. "Sure."

* * *

><p>The silver car Cyan had dubbed 'Mako' pulled into the driveway. The two passengers climbed out, followed by an ecstatic dog. "Why 'ome so early?" Cyan shut her door, slinging her backpack onto her shoulder. It was Friday, Halloween taking place on Saturday. She usually went right to the shop after school.<p>

"Morning sickness," Noodle replied. "Don't want to stink up the store." She groaned lightly before making her way to the house.

The house was painted an off-white cream color, the garage the same color. The front door faced the doorway to the garage, covered by a pathway that led from the house to the roof of the garage to make a dog-run. The rooftop of the garage was originally for sitting in the sun or sight-seeing, but Cyan's room had been built on top of it. They hadn't followed the exact dimensions of the rooftop, so she had a balcony that wrapped all the way around.

When one walked into the house, they faced the living room, or sitting room since that was all that went on there. It was very large, open room with a fireplace and chimney in the middle of the room, extending up to the ceiling. To the left of the doorway was a set of skinny stairs, leading up to another doorway. This was the door that led to Cyan's room. Tucked in the corner was a doorway that led to the basement, or Russel's room as it was better known as. There was also a sliding glass door and patio that looked down the hill to the Norsby's house.

Two posts with a counter between them separated the kitchen and sitting room. Two rooms, one a bathroom, the other was where the washer and dryer were located, branched off from here. Above the kitchen was very large balcony, the ceiling sloping to accommodate this. A set of stairs led up to it, a banister on the edge. Here was the television room, TV surrounded by armchairs and a bean bag chair. There was a doorway on each end. One led to Noodle and 2D's room, the other had been Noodle and Cyan's room to begin with, but then there was the wedding, then Cyan's room got built over the garage. Now it was currently under construction as the nursery. Another set of stairs led up to another doorway, that was the attic.

"Did you get your homework done?" Noodle asked, settling into one of the sitting room chairs.

"Yep," she slung the backpack down onto the couch. "An essay on te 'istory o' Halloween. Creepy stuff t'ere."

"Are you excited about tomorrow?"

"Oh yeah! Candy abound! Bring ih!"

* * *

><p>The house is a combination of different aspects of several homes I've been in. The large sitting room with the fireplace and chimney in the center is from my great aunt's house. The room divider and kitchen with branching rooms is my great-grandmother's house. The second floor being a balcony is based off of a cabin I and my extended family stayed in over winter holiday. And the catwalk leading to over the garage is from my friend's house before he moved.<p> 


	18. Night Shock

Night Shock

I am the voice of Dragons past

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>"I hope you're not takin' that," said Russel.<p>

Cyan looked up from her chair. She was fiddling with something new for her slingshot. "O' course not," but there was something in her sly tone that convinced him otherwise. She wrapped the rubber square around the handle and took up the hot glue gun. Once it was glued in place, she fitted the handle into her fingers. "Now ih grips betteh." Slowly over the years, the once-simple weapon had been repeatedly improved and modified.

"Got'cher mask," 2D came down from the second floor balcony.

Cyan turned around and held out her hands eagerly. "Where wos ih?"

"In our baffroom."

"Oh yeah, I left ih t'ere when I got a new box o' floss fer meh sink." She adjusted her costume, dark gray clothing with fake fur that stick up at odd angles. She was going traditional Halloween, she was a werewolf.

"Now remember," 2D handed over the mask, "yew stay wiff Arthur, no wanderin' on yer own. When yer both done, go to te community centeh, we'll be t'ere fer te party."

"Here you go!" a pillowcase was tossed from the balcony, landing on Cyan's head. Noodle crept up to the banister, looking down with a grin on her face.

"Nice one," Cyan opened the pillow case and stuck a flashlight inside. It wasn't dark yet, but it was Autumn, the nights were coming a lot faster now. When no one noticed, she stuck the slingshot in there as well. Though she didn't let her family know, there were a couple bullies around. They didn't go after her after she proved she was more than a match in their skills, but they would still be picking on little kids, and she would be damned to just let them get away with that. "Don' wait up!"

"We'll be waitin' fer yew!" 2D called as she bounded out the door.

"Wot did I jus' say?" She stopped in her driveway, already picking up distressing sounds. On instinct, she reached for her slingshot and scooped up some rocks as ammo.

"Let go!" said a squeaky voice.

"Yew big meanies!" said a similar one.

"Guys, knock ih off," said a deeper voice, this was followed by some taunts and laughter.

She knew who they were. Nate, a fourteen year old boy and one of their neighbors, and his twin six year old sisters Cassidy and Cassandra, more commonly known as Cassie and Sandy. Nate was a good older brother, even though he had voiced his annoyance of his sisters many times, he obviously cared for them. But she knew he couldn't hold down against the bullies. Pulling back the band, she crept toward the meadow through the trees on the other side of the road.

"Surprise!" she jumped out, letting the band go. She knocked one of the older kids in the jaw. He had been tugging at one of the girls' bags, she couldn't tell which one it was. He let go, howling while clutching his face. Cyan strung up another rock. "Unless yew wont some bruises from a li'le girl ta explain ta yer parents, I suggest ya beat ih!"

"Ih's tha' blue freak!" they split, running further up the road, knocking some kids aside as they did.

"I'm not te girl next door, I'm te bitch from down te street!" Cyan shouted after them.

"Thanks," Nate nudged her shoulder. He wasn't dressed up, but she had expected that from his character. "They jumped us."

"No prob," she pocketed the slingshot.

"Thank yew Cyan!" the girls said together. Noodle had been respectful of Cyan's feelings at the wedding, so Cyan was a bridesmaid while the twins were flower girls. They liked her a lot, and often followed her around whenever she was home.

" 'Ey!" a dark shape was rushing toward them. "Jus' got 'ere, but saw the endin'!" Arthur slid to a halt. He wore a dark green shirt that was stained and ripped up, along with his pants. His face was a mess of make-up and he was drooling slightly. "Fake teeth," he explained.

"Wot are yew?" Cyan asked.

"A zombie!"

"Now I see why meh da' likes yew."

* * *

><p>"T'ere's Mako!" Cyan slipped among the cars in the parking lot of the community center, her friends following close behind. She stopped beside the car, then pulled out a can of shaving cream and covered the windshield.<p>

"Why did yew do tha'?" asked one of the girls, maybe Sandy.

" 'Cause t'ere is a demon inside o' me. An' random acts like t'is keep 'im settled."

Both girls shrank back beside their older brother. "She's jokin'," he assured them. "Ih's a Halloween tradition."

"I thought tha' wos trick-or-treat. Yew don' get a treat, ya play a trick."

"Not jokin' 'bout te demon," Cyan smiled evilly before bounding over to the door. "Da'!" she began running among the crowds of people, only stopping-check that- slowing down when Arthur grabbed her tail. The whole town was probably there, more people arriving by the minute as trick-or-treaters stopped for the night. "Da'!" she pushed past some people laughing hilariously at an unheard joke. "Daddy!" A pair of arms scooped her up and tossed her over the shoulder.

"Russel!" she squealed. "Ya almost made me drop meh candy!"

He carried her over to a booth where many people were congregating. It was the Cloverleaf booth. The Cloverleaf was the most popular pub in town, kids were even allowed in, but only to retrieve pub occupants. "Root beer please," Russel readjusted his grip when Cyan started squirming. "Quit it or I'll drop ya," he joked.

"Put me down!" she shrieked.

"I got 'er," 2D rescued his daughter from her assailant. "A good haul?"

"Definitely." She looked around. "Where'd Art go? Oh wait, t'ere 'e is." She spied him over by his parents. "Yew make te toast yet?"

"Guys," Noodle walked over, her Oni mask rested on top of her head, "I'd really rather you didn't. I mean, the whole town's here."

2D hooked an arm around her waist. "But ih's yer birthday, love!"

"I know, I know." She started playing with his hair. "I think I like your hair better long."

"I 'ad ta cut ih so te bald patches wewd grow in even, yew were t'ere when ih 'appened. I also did ih 'cause Cyan came 'round."

Russel handed Cyan her root beer. "Whaddya mean?"

"Meh last experience wiff a child wos Noodle, an' yew used ta decorate ih wiff barrettes and rubber bands."

"...be quiet," Noodle crossed her arms and looked away, pouting.

"Hormonal roller-coaster," he mumbled softly, causing Cyan to giggle.

"What was that?" she turned her head enough to give him a dangerous-looking side glance.

"Nothin'," he replied, making the child break out in full-on laughter.

"Okay," Noodle kneeled down, "how much candy have you already had?" She reached for the candy bag, but it was ripped away.

"I don' 'ave a limit!" she argued.

"You do when you have piles of sugar to spare."

Cyan hiccuped and began to moan. "I don' feel so good." She set her soda down on the floor and leaned against Russel.

"That's what happens when you eat your weight in candy," Noodle patted her head.

"Con I 'ave yer attention please? !" 2D was standing on the Cloverleaf booth, his hands waving over his head to get attention. The townspeople began to quiet down, turning their attention his way. In these three years, the people of Valleyridge had embraced their newest, and most likely strangest, family to ever show up out of the blue. "We can' 'fank yew enough fo' acceptin' us, ih pro'lly wosn' easy considerin' te way we are-"

The crowd all booed and shook their heads.

"But we still 'fank yew. T'night isn' jus' Halloween, ih's also a very special day ta me an' meh family. T'is October 31st is also meh wife, Noodle's, 24th birthday!"

The room exploded into loud cheers. Noodle blushed and hid her head in Russel's chest, embarrassed by all the sudden attention. Several people began 'awwing' when she did this, only making her more embarrassed.

"I 'fank awl o' yew fo' 'elpin' make t'is place our 'ome. We've faced a lot o' ghosts in our past, but t'is place is 'elpin' us fo'get te past. I 'fank Misteh Christofferson, Poppy Norsby, Art, Sunny and Cyril, Theodore, Naomi, Lila, an' everyone!" He ended the toast with a wild jump off the booth. "Enjoy te night!"

"Nice speech," Mister Christofferson patted him on the shoulder. "I gotta go, our 'orses are always targets of Halloween pranks."

"Gotta go sit on yer back porch wiff a shotgun?"

"Tha's right! See ya, Poppy, be a good boy Art!" Whole crowds stopped conversing to wave him out.

* * *

><p>2D leaned down to swipe one of his daughter's candy bars. He knew she noticed, but she didn't say anything. She was sitting on the floor, sorting her load into piles. It was almost midnight but it was Saturday, so she was allowed to get away with it.<p>

"I knew it!" Russel stooped to grab her slingshot. "I knew ya took this with you!"

"Oh Russel," Noodle said sleepily from the couch behind Cyan, "as long as she didn't break anything, we're cool."

He sighed and put it on the counter divider that split the sitting room and kitchen. "I know you did that shavin' cream on the car."

Ferdinand, who had been stretched out by 2D's chair suddenly straitened up. His ears pricked, staring toward the sliding glass door, in the direction of the Norsby's house. He growled deeply before howling loudly. He leapt up and ran toward the door, barking and growling.

"Wot's wiff yew?" 2D scolded.

The answer came with faint shouting then a loud sound that split the night air. It sent a bolt of fear down their spines. A scream followed before silence reigned. Noodle's body trembled as she curled into a ball. Cyan sprang up and retrieved her slingshot before bolting for the door.

"What are you doing? !" Russel shouted, going after her. She opened the door and raced down the hill, Ferdinand leading the way."Cyan stop! Get back here!" Usually, a stern voice was the only thing that was ever needed to discipline Cyan. They had learned that a long time ago. She had been playing outside their first summer in the house. Noodle had told her to come in, but she didn't, choosing to dodge them until it was dark. When she finally decided to come inside, she ended up stumbling and hurting her still-healing shoulder. When they started scolding her, she erupted into tears and a fit of shivers. In her experience, a stern, raised voice turned to beatings in a heartbeat.

Ferdinand led the girl between the house and paddocks. The horses were nervous, whinnying and shying away. The lights of the house came on, voices crying in fear. The two reached the back porch, only to be greeted by a horrific sight. Mister Christofferson was leaned against one of the posts supporting the porch canopy. His legs were crumpled underneath his limp body. His chest was heaving, one hand pressed against his bloody shirt while the other groped for his gun. Cyan focused her eyes just in time to see two dark shapes dart off across the plain.

"Dad!" Arthur screamed, bounding out the door in his pajamas. Poppy Norsby was crying hysterically, not even able to make it outside.

"Daddy!" Cyan cried out.

"Cyan? !" he sounded close, probably following Russel.

"Cawl te police! Misteh Christofferson's been shot!"

* * *

><p>there's a bar and restaurant in my town called the Cloverleaf.<p> 


	19. United

United

I am the voice of Dragons past

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>Cyan hugged the rainbow striped cat to her chest. She was curled up under her blankets like a little kid afraid of the monsters under the bed. But this was real. Some cold-hearted person had attacked and shot an innocent husband and father. She whimpered and curled up tighter. It was moments like these that she regretted her room not being actually attached to the house.<p>

Her room was built over the garage, and it was fairly large. It had everything she needed, her bed, her dresser, a desk, a sink, her computer, even a mini-fridge. It didn't have an actual bathroom, she had to go into the house for that. It was painted sky-blue inside, so even when it was overcast she saw the color. One wall had a specific honor. It was her wall of photos, pictures of the memories she wanted to keep. She had an assortment of strange things. A dragon kite hanging from the ceiling, some painted shells, a model of the Eiffel Tower, some hand-painted dinosaur models, and many other things.

She threw the blankets off and grabbed her slippers. They had spent last night in the hospital waiting room with Poppy Norsby and Arthur, but she had school tomorrow, so she had to get some sleep. She hated to do this, since she felt she was too old, but she knew she had no other choice if she wanted to get through the night. She was going to her father's bed.

Cyan opened her door, peering out cautiously for any sign of the shooters. She hugged the cat tighter and dashed across the walk. She crept down the little stairway and went for the stairs to the balcony. She could hear Russel snoring in the basement below. When he got snoring, the floor got rumbling. She scaled the staircase and went left, Noodle and 2D's bedroom. She slipped through the partially open door and right up to the side of the bed.

"Da'?" she whispered.

He snorted. 2D had stopped taking his pills in excess, but he still needed them. He had also quit smoking when Noodle had announced she was pregnant, now he had an obsession with chewing on toothpicks, but everyone let that be. It didn't do any harm.

"Da'?" she nudged his head.

He snorted again, started coughing, then turned to focus on her. "Cyan? Wot's wrong love?"

"I 'ate ta admit t'is, but I can' sleep in meh room."

"An' I unda'stand," he scooped her up and settled her between him and Noodle.

Said woman grumbled and turned her neck to see what was behind her. "What happened?" she asked sleepily.

"Cyan can' sleep."

"Okay..." then she turned back on her side.

* * *

><p>It was very quiet at school. Nobody had anything to say except wish Arthur luck and their thoughts. The boy was usually active and talkative, getting scolded by the teacher to quiet down. But he was silent, his face downcast, and the only person he would even acknowledge was Cyan, his best friend.<p>

"Okay everyone," Mrs. Laro stood at the front of the class. "I realize that what happened Halloween night came as a shocker for everyone, but, unfortunately, these things happen. The world can be a violent place. But Mister Christofferson is well on the mend, he's going to be fine. You're all in sixth grade and you've been told this since you were able to understand. Never talk to strangers, report suspicious activity."

The bell rang for recess, but the children were almost wary to go outside. Cyan zipped up her tiger jacket and followed Arthur out. He was still looking dejected and chose to settle outside the building, back leaning against the wall.

"Art," she sat beside him, "I'm goin' ta show yew somefink, I 'fink ih'll 'elp yew cope." She unzipped the jacket and pulled at the collar of her shirt, exposing the horrific scar on her shoulder.

The boy's eyes widened. "W-wot? 'ow did tha'-?"

"I wos stabbed in te shoulder wiff a flick knife, even I didn' 'fink I wos goin' ta make ih. But I did. An' yew know wot? I came out o' ih strongeh, I even kept te knife, though meh da' doesn' know tha'." She zipped her jacket back up. "Te world con be scary, t'ere's no doubt. I 'ave experienced some o' ihs worst stuff personally. But yew know wot keeps me goin'? Te support I 'ave from meh family. Tha's why we're 'ere." She put a hand on his shoulder. "Yer da' is a strong an' brave man, 'e'll pull through. If I, a li'le undehsized child, cewd, t'en we shewdn' be worryin'."

He smiled lightly. "Thanks."

* * *

><p>An after school parent teacher meeting had called Noodle and 2D away, so Cyan was at home with Russel. She was currently sitting on a cinder block outside, staring into her flower garden. There were a lot of things to do outside actually. They had quads, a hammock, a fire pit for gatherings, a rope swing, and her treehouse. A bitter chill made her shiver.<p>

"I'm goin' back in for a minute," said Russel, "stay in the yard."

"Roger," she didn't feel like moving anyway. She heard the front door slam shut and exhaled slowly. She stared off at the open plain that began at the bottom of the hill. No one owned that property, nor the smalls woods off the side of their yard. Off in the distance was the Hills. She almost felt like jumping on her favorite quad, a camo colored one they labeled Geep, and running off to Mistyridge, one of the Hills.

A loud squawk interrupted her thoughts. She turned her head upward to see a large raven with red eyes sitting on an old fence post they hadn't dug out of the ground. It cocked its head at her and squawked again.

"Go away," she said.

The bird cried out louder.

"Beat ih!" she picked up a rock and threw it. The raven jumped down and retreated toward the trees, but stopped and starting mocking her again. _Yew are so dead. _She pulled out her slingshot and ran after it, flinging rocks as she went. It slipped further and further into the trees, but she could still hear it. That mocking cry from that devil-bird. "An' don' come back!" she slid to a halt.

A distinct click alerted her that she had company. She only had to turn her neck slightly to look into the barrel of a gun. "Why didn' I suspect yew from te beginning?" She faced the assailant and strung up her slingshot. "I'm not afraid o' yew."

Cyborg narrowed her eyes. "You should be."

" 'Ey, calm down," Murdoc stepped out into the open, the raven on his shoulder. "We're all friends 'ere."

"Ih wos yew!" Cyan let the sling loose, striking him in the leg. "Yew two shot Misteh Christofferson!" she shouted over his cries of pain.

"The man wos a ravin' lunatic! 'E shot at us firs'!"

"Yew shewdn' 'ave been on 'is property! Da' told yew ta stay away! Why are yew back?"

The man recovered his composure. "That is fer yer dumb-ass dad ta know. Jus' take us up ta the 'ouse."

"Yew're not welcome t'ere," she restrung the slingshot, only to be jabbed in the side of the head by Cyborg's gun.

"I don' think yew 'ave a choice."

* * *

><p>Cyan sheltered behind the couch from the chaos that unfolded. A lamp had already been shattered when 2D threw a meat cleaver at the retreating Murdoc. Russel was supplying the blue-haired man with things to throw from the kitchen, but stayed out of the way.<p>

"Let's be reasonable!" Noodle grabbed her husband's shoulders. "Let him speak! There has to be a reason!"

He pushed her away, though it was incredibly gently. "Stay out love," he whispered. "Yew bastard!" he ran around the counter divider, Murdoc fleeing in the same manner, so they went around and around. "Where's meh knife? Russ, get me meh knife!"

"We lost that thing a long time ago," the man replied.

"Ih's under meh pillow," Cyan whispered in Noodle's ear, receiving a shocked look from the woman.

2D retrieved a butcher knife from a drawer. "T'is'll do." Then he started yelling like a madman, jabbing the knife.

"Stop ih!" Cyan screamed, causing everyone to jump. "Jus' stop!' She panted a few times before continuing. "Misteh Muhdoc said 'e 'ad a reason fer comin' back. Let 'im speak, t'en we decide wot ta do. Everyone, sit down." Murdoc steered clear of 2D, settling into an armchair, while Noodle, 2D, and Cyan sat on the couch. Cyborg stood behind her master, having been told to not to shoot at all. Russel did the same behind the others. "Okay...we're awl good. Now, explain yerself."

"I don' 'ave ta say anythin'," his hand reached into his jacket and pulled out a peach folder. He slapped it down on the table between them.

No one spoke, but a unanimous curiosity spread through them. What was in the folder? What reason did Murdoc have to come back after three years? But none of them dared move unless 2D did first. The man glared at the folder before him, his sunken eyes almost visible in his dark depths. A good few minutes passed before Cyan reached forward to take it.

"No, runt," Murdoc grabbed her hand, "tha's not fer yew. Tha's fer yer dad."

With those words, 2D picked up the folder and opened it. Almost immediately, he dropped it, it folding shut upon hitting the ground. His face was horrified, as if he had seen Death itself. His breath started coming quicker, his shoulders trembling.

"Da'? Wot's in te folder?" Cyan reached for it.

"Go ta yer room."

"Wot?" she looked up at her father in shock.

"Go ta yer room," he said a bit more firmly.

"Stuart, what's wrong?" Noodle placed a hand on his shoulder. Cyan reached for the folder again.

"Leave ih!" 2D stood up. "Go ta yer room! Get outta 'ere!"

For the first time, she was genuinely afraid of her father. Looming over her, dark eyes blazing, a look so familiar on the face of another man in her past. But she couldn't go, whatever concerned him was her problem too, whether he knew it or not. "No..."

"Leave!" he shoved her, knocking her over.

Russel reached over the couch to grab his shoulder. "What are ya doin'? !" But that final act had done it. Cyan fled out the sliding glass door, tears dripping from her cheeks. Her father had yelled at her, but he was expected to in some situations. But he _pushed _her, knocked her over, and they weren't playing or wrestling. She knew that he wasn't trying to hurt her purposely, only to get his urgency across, but he had. Not physically, but emotionally.

_Da' pushed me! _she scaled up her treehouse, curling up to hide.

Back in the sitting room, Noodle looked over at her husband, a concerned look on her face. "Why did you do that? Stuart, I've never seen you do something like that." She reached down for the file. When she grabbed it, a bolt of temporary fear shot through her. 2D looked like he was about to charge her, maybe even push her over. She had been feeling very defensive ever since she had found out she was pregnant. She avoided conflict of any kind, not that there was a lot around here. So the fact that her own husband looked as though he was about to attack her made her fear for the little life inside of her. "St-Stuart..?"

"I'm sorry..." he collapsed on the couch. "I'm so sorry."

She opened the file and almost screamed. A picture, it looked like police evidence, of a face-down bloody body, arms and legs splayed on the filthy ground in death. But if that wasn't enough, she immediately noticed why this was meant for 2D. The boy had purple hair, like 2D's used to be. "Is this...?"

"One o' dullard's kids," Murdoc finished for her. "The sheet ih's paper clipped ta is the police report."

She scanned it over. _Several lacerations all over the body. Stomach gutted. Missing eye. Several toes missing. _"What..." she couldn't speak.

Murdoc spoke up, "Fortunately, I know fer a fact tha' 'e didn' suffer."

"How do you know?"

" 'Cause tha's not 'ow Sun Moon Stars takes 'is victims."

"What?" said Russel. "That thing? Why would it do this?"

" 'E's determined. 'E realized tha' I'm not goin' easy, so 'e's found a new target."

"Stuart's kids?" said Noodle.

"Exactly. 'E 'as ih figured tha' if 'e starts takin' the kids, ih'll lure us out. As fer Charlie," he tapped the name at the bottom of the photo, " 'is soul wos taken firs', then 'e wos beaten around. 'E wos dead before awl o' this wos done. Jus' Sun Moon Stars tryin' ta show off wot 'e's capable of. Same with Thomas," he flipped the paper away to reveal another photo beneath it. This boy was lying on his back, horrific injuries displayed for the camera. His cheek was sliced wide open, his azure hair ripped out in bloody clumps, one of his arms was missing below the elbow.

Tears began to slide down Noodle's face. "Now, now love," Murdoc assured her. "I swear, they didn' feel any pain. Charlie wos yer eldest," he said to 2D. " 'is mum wos married afteh 'e wos born. 'E wos considered a good kid, average marks, athletic. One day, walkin' 'ome from school, 'e didn' make ih. Now Thomas, yer fourth, wos left on 'is aunt's doorstep with a note an' wos raised with 'is cousins. Real friendly kid, a li'le awkward in some situations. 'E wos found at the local landfill, a trail o' blue 'air clumps leadin' the way."

Noodle buried her face against 2D's chest and began sobbing loudly. He curled his long arms around her, protecting her. Silent tears were slipping from his dents. Russel wasn't crying, but his breathing was hitched. And, unknown to them, Cyan was crying into her hands from her hiding place, the raised walk from her room, leaned against the door to the house.

Murdoc sighed. "I didn' 'ave ta come 'ere. I didn' 'ave ta tell yew this, but I did. I'm willin' ta make a deal with yew."

"Wot kinda deal?" 2D asked cautiously.

"I'm willin' ta collect more information on yer kids, their locations an' such, an' bring ih to yew. Then I'll accompany yew into the world ta find 'em."

"Why wewd yew do t'is?"

"I really don' know," he said honestly. "But make a decision before I change meh mind."

"I..." he shook his head. "I can'. If I go wiff yew, t'en I can' protect Cyan."

"She's fine. She wos never in danger."

"Why? Why only 'er?"

"Tha's a secret between me an' 'er. But I can assure yew she's safe. As is yer unborn one."

Noodle squeaked in shock. "You know?"

"I 'ad Cyborg do an organism scan when we firs' showed up. She sensed ih. Even evil 'as rules. Unless there's a reason yer kid isn' meant ta be born, 'e won' touch ih until ih actually is born. Ih's safe, fer now. Wot's yer answer?"

2D stood up from the couch and approached the man. The man who had imprisoned him, the man who was responsible for his face, the man who had tortured him, but was now offering to help him find his children so they wouldn't fall to this fate. "I accept yer offer, as long as Noodle, Russel, and Cyan are goin' ta be safe."

"Are you kiddin'?" Russel spoke up. "I'm goin' with you!"

"No, Noodle 'as ta stay, I don' wont 'er near tha' monster. An' I need yew ta look afteh 'er an' Cyan."

"No!" Cyan burst through the door and jumped down the staircase. "I'm goin' wiff yew! I can' let 'im do tha ta meh brothers an' sisters!" She rushed up to them, pulling out her slingshot and the very flick knife responsible for her scarred shoulder. "Try awl yew wont, but yew won' leave me behind."

"Lewk love," 2D kneeled down to her level, "wotever is protectin' yew, I need ih ta extend ta Noodle an' Russel."

"This is easily fixed," said Murdoc. "She con come with us an' 'er protection will keep us safe, an' I con leave Cyborg 'ere. She needs ta be near a rechargable power source. 'Er portable one is breakin'," he gestured to a large object on the robot's back.

Noodle narrowed her eyes at her cyber twin. "Is this safe?"

"Sure. Ih'll take a while ta track down yer kids, so yew'll 'ave time ta think about ih. Well..." he stood up from the chair, "I take meh leave. Let's go Cyborg."

* * *

><p>"I jus' need ta ask yew one thing," Murdoc whispered to Cyan. "Do yew still 'ave the charm I gave yew?"<p>

"Yeah," she reached down her shirt. The pendant was strung on her mother's necklace chain. "T'is is wot's protectin' me from te Boogieman, isn' ih?"

"Tha's right. Keep ih safe an' with yew at all times." He climbed into his car and drove off down the road. He disappeared for the second time.


	20. Snowed In

Snowed In

I am the voice of Dragons past

I don't own Gorillaz or Schnuffel Bunny, but it's so freakin' adorable.

* * *

><p>"Only collect what is necessary. Food, water, blankets, flashlights, batteries, and warm clothing. Leave presents behind."<p>

Russel picked up the phone from the counter and set it back in its port. They had been crowded around, listening to the town-wide message on speaker. "They confirmed the storm's headin' our way. Let's get down there." It was Christmas Eve and a snow storm was coming straight for them. Now they had to collect what was needed and head down to the community center. What a way to spend the holidays. But it would be safest down there. "Get the storage tubs out."

They set to work collecting what would be needed to survive the storm. 2D stacked some blankets on the table while Noodle routed through the drawers for batteries and flashlights. Russel started packing non-perishables that would be shared with the whole town. It wasn't snowing currently, which gave them a window of opportunity to escape into town.

"That kid," Russel muttered, looking out the window. Cyan rushed over to see poor Arthur stumbling up the hill, forcing each leg through the thick snow. She went to their downstairs closet and began pulling on her snow gear. Some of the snow was frozen over with a thick layer of ice. She knew this after she landed _on top_ of it and didn't sink. So she had it figured he was going to need some help. She had been wearing her long underwear around the house. She pulled on her ski pants, her butter-cream winter jacket, her gloves, boots, a neon green scarf, and her Schnuffel Bunny hat with ears that dropped to her waist.

"Yer not gonna make ih!" she shouted to her friend once she stepped outside.

"I don' need ta make ih!" he called back. He was about halfway up the hill. "Dad wonts ta know if yew an' I can ride two o' the 'orses down ta the center."

"Te council didn' say anyfin' 'bout bringin' animals."

"They converted the parkin' garage. We got special privileges, but yew can sneak Ferdie in. They wont us ta 'ave the 'orses down there 'cause they can be used if cars break down or get stuck."

"I con do tha'," she escaped back inside. "I'm ridin' down on one o' te 'orses wiff Art."

"Yew sure yew con do tha'?" asked 2D.

"I'll be fine."

They packed their things into clear storage tubs. Cyan couldn't help but glance over at their beautiful tree that she and Noodle had painstakingly decorated. They retrieved Cyan's sled and loaded the tubs onto it. It was easier than carrying. The roads were too dangerous to drive on, thoroughly coated in ice. Some people had used picks to pry up sheets of the ice, but it was too hard of work and the job was abandoned. They slipped into their winter gear and crowded out front. Several things happened at once. Russel slung the sled onto one of the banks so they wouldn't be slipping down the road, and it fell through. Cyan jumped in to get it and was buried over her head. Noodle simply tried to walk through the snow and was overwhelmed and fell through.

"At t'is rate, we're not goin' anywhere," Cyan shouted from her hole in the snow.

2D managed to retrieve her with his long legs stepping through the snow like a blue heron (hah!). "I 'fink yer right."

Two Welsh Mountain ponies, one a gray, the other a chestnut, tramped through the drifts beside the road. Arthur waved cheerfully from the chestnut, the pony dragging a sled loaded with supplies behind it. "Mum an' Dad already left, so I'm clearin' the path fer yew folks."

"Good idea," 2D nodded to the sled. "Yew sure t'ey're not overwhelmed?"

"Ta them, I'm a 'at. 'Op on, Cyan."

She grabbed the bridal of the gray, glancing over to Noodle. Now at five months pregnant, she was finding it a lot more difficult to move, let alone maneuver through snow drifts past her hips. "Wait, I wont Noodle ta ride, I'll lead." The poor woman had to lifted up to the saddle by Russel, but was extremely grateful for the ride. "Let's go," Cyan tugged at the reins, leading the pony right behind Arthur's. Ferdinand followed as well, running off into the drifts and getting lost every so often.

* * *

><p>Crowds of people were congregating to the community center. Most along the more barren roads followed the ponies just to get through the snow. Several were pulling sleds like Russel, but the difference was these sleds also had tired and cold children on them. It was late afternoon, the temperature was dropping. Arthur had been right, the employee parking garage had been converted into a faux-stable. Ferdinand wasn't allowed into the building, so he was left with a blanket.<p>

The gym floor was covered with cots and people, milling about, conversing with one another. Kids were running around, screaming and playing, doing their best to keep themselves entertained with this situation. There was a corner for sick or injured, but it was small and the people in it didn't look too bad. Some of the center workers were directing people to bathrooms, empty cots in the gym, and taking food to the kitchen.

"Stuart Pot?" said one of the workers. "You an' yer family 'ave been given a private room because o' yer wife's condition."

"It's not a condition," Noodle muttered as they were led to the upper floor where separate rooms were. 2D made her sit down immediately and covered her with a blanket. "I'm warm Stu, take the rest to the people on the floor." He left to do so, Russel following down with the food. Cyan planted herself on another cot, sighing deeply. "I agree, this isn't exactly where I saw us spending Christmas."

"We don' really 'ave a choice. Ih's safest 'ere." She looked up to her. "Are yew okay? T'is isn' too stressful?"

"I'm fine, the baby's fine, we're all okay. And in the end, that's all I really ask for." Suddenly tears sprang to her eyes.

"Noodle?"

"I wonder...if Murdoc found any of your brothers or sisters yet."

Cyan looked down at her hands. "Yeah...I do too."

"Where do you think they are?"

"Da' neveh said anyfin' 'bout ih. Even after Misteh Muhdoc left, 'e wewdn't talk much 'bout 'em. 'E said awl 'e wonts is ta keep me safe."

"And you do know that is all he truly wants, right? He never really thought about his kids, he told me this. He knew they were out there, but he didn't know anything about them. I honestly believe he doesn't know who they are, or where they are, or even remember their mothers. The women never called him out for child support, it seemed they didn't care. I've been doing research on Charlie and Thomas. They have no leads or suspects, which is a very good thing in only one area."

"Wot's tha'?"

"It means they don't suspect Stuart of doing it for any reason."

"...I neveh thought 'bout ih like tha'." That thought was certainly something. Sure, anyone could suspect her father of doing this, except the people that truly knew him. "I 'ave brothers an' sisters out t'ere, I've neveh met 'em, I don' know if t'ey 'ave blue 'air, or if t'ey look like me-"

"And I'm sure Stuart is wondering the exact same thing. Like I said before, he didn't really care. Then he met you, and he realized the bond a person has with their flesh and blood. Now that he knows the rest of them are in danger, he's fretting. I catch him late at night, looking out the windows down the road. I think he's waiting for Murdoc to come back. He wants that man to return with good news."

"Wot do ya 'fink Da' will do when we find 'em?"

"Most likely bring them back here, if their mothers agree. Keep them safe with whatever your protection is until the Boogieman gives up. And hey, maybe their mothers will let them live with us, or at least visit."

Cyan didn't respond, and Noodle figured she was just thinking of what it would be like. But she was wrong. The girl just realized a horrible fact. She had left Murdoc's charm behind. _Te one time I take ih off! _She even showered with it on. But when she had changed that morning, she had removed it and left it on her desk. _But wot are te odds? Te Boogieman showin' up 'ere an' now? _She shuddered. She didn't like the odds, no matter what they were. A dark demon that was killing her siblings could show up at any moment and get her. She stood up.

"Going down to play?" asked Noodle.

"Yeah...yew gonna be okay?"

"Stu will be back up here in no time. I'm in fretting, over-protective hands. Go have fun."

* * *

><p>The lights went off when night hit to save power. People were still up, using flashlights to see each other. Most were snuggled on their cots, fast asleep. Now was the time. Cyan crept along the stairs, nearly jumping out of her skin when one creaked. She hadn't been able to sneak away earlier, too many people watching. <em>I'll walk t'ere, awl te way t'ere. Grab te charm an' come back. No one will notice.<em>

"Wot are yew doin'?"

"Son o' a bitch!" she covered her mouth to stifle the yelp.

"Meh mum is a nice person," Arthur argued softly.

"Wot do ya wont? !" she whispered fiercely.

"I wos comin' up ta see if yew were asleep yet. Do yew wont ta play hide-and-seek?"

"Not now," she crept further across the building, toward the parking garage. "I need ta go 'ome. I forgot somefink I desperately need."

"Wot is ih?"

"Ih's a secret. But I assure yew, I need ih." He crossed his arms and plastered an annoyed look on his face. "Wot? I'm walkin'!"

"I can' letcha go alone."

* * *

><p>The storm had hit. The night sky was white with the falling snowballs that smashed into the ground with fervor. The wind ripped and tore at the three figures who tried desperately to traverse the icy roads. Ferdinand began crying when he couldn't see Cyan anymore, his cries fading with the roar of nature.<p>

"I'm beginnin' ta regret t'is!" Cyan shouted.

"We can still go back!" Arthur replied.

That thought made her shudder. "No way!" They continued on, helping each other up the slope, grabbing onto tree trunks and low branches. When they reached the house, she rushed to the garage and climbed up the outside ladder. The door was almost ripped off off its hinges when she opened it. There! The charm and necklace were lying on the desk. She grabbed both and returned to the outside. Arthur was huddled by the building, ice crystals forming on his eyebrows. "Let's go!"

Their return trip was thwarted instantly. Both fell and went sliding down the road, Ferdinand running after them. When they came to a stop, Cyan realized, in horror, that the necklace was gone.

* * *

><p>" 'D."<p>

2D woke up. There was only one person who still called him by his nickname, but not in public. "Russ? Wot's up?"

"Cyan's gone."

He was awake now. "Wot? Are yew sure? Maybe she's jus' in te baffroom."

"No," the man shook his head. "I asked around, I looked around. She isn't in the building. Mister Christofferson an' Poppy have lost Art too. There are no horses missin', but Ferdie's gone as well."

2D threw his blankets across the room and started trying to pull his winter gear on. He fell repeatedly, but managed all the same.

"What's going on?" Noodle sat up, rubbing her eyes.

"Cyan's gone," said Russel.

"What? Really? Oh no!" she started getting up too, but the two men kept her down.

"Yer not goin' out t'ere love."

"She means just as much to me as either of you!"

"Stuart!" the door opened, Mister Christofferson poking his head through. "Oh good, Russel told yew. Yer comin' with?"

"O' course! Meh kid's out t'ere!"

"We 'ave a search party ready."

* * *

><p>Cyan's fingers burned from digging through the snow. Her gloves had just been getting in the way. The necklace was gone, buried until Spring. "Art 'elp me! Meh necklace!"<p>

"Yer necklace? Tha's why we're out 'ere? !"

Tears dripped down her face. "Yew didn' 'ave ta come!" She curled up in tight ball as the stinging wind bit her exposed face and hand. _Make ih stop! Make ih awl stop! I wont ta go back! T'is wos a mistake, an' I dragged Art in wiff me! _Arthur's fingers touched something in the snow. "Make ih stop!" she screamed loudly.

It stopped.

Arthur yelled loudly, scrambling in the snow. He hugged onto Cyan, making her look up. There was something there, a lean towering figure.

"Ih can' be..." but there was no denying it. Not those white lenses. _Evangelist?_

The being disappeared when a beam of light shone on them. Loud voices called over the wind. Footsteps crunched in the snow. "Cyan!" 2D curled his arms around his half-frozen daughter. "Neveh do tha' again!"

Mister Christofferson pulled his son into a tight hug. The rest of the group began cheering at their success.

"Let's get back," 2D picked her up.

"Cyan wait!" Arthur handed over the charm. "I found ih."

* * *

><p>"Wot a Christmas," said Cyan the next morning.<p>

"At least the storm stopped," said Noodle. "Once the roads are cleared a little, we can go home." The woman was flustered. Last night's escapade had left her very angry with the child, but also incredibly relieved when they had stepped through that door. "You risked your life for a necklace."

"Ih's wot keeps me safe."

"I know, but you still shouldn't be doing this kind of stuff. You almost gave us all a heart attack. Your father worries... especially over you."

"I know tha'. I know 'e's scared o' wot cewd 'appen ta me. I don' wont 'im ta be scared. I made a mistake, I left te necklace behind. But Noodle," she grew excited, "I 'fink I know why Misteh Muhdoc gave ih ta me. Last night, in te storm, I saw Evangelist."

They were quiet. "Evangelist? How is that possible?"

"I don' know, but ih wos 'er! I 'fink she tracks me through te necklace! She's te one protectin' me, tha's why te Boogieman can' get me, can' get us." She dropped the subject when the door opened.

"I'm groundin' yew," 2D walked through the doorway. "Te otheh kids are goin' out ta play in te snow, an' yew can' go wiff 'em."

"Wot? !" she jumped up from her cot. "But last night 'ad ta 'appen! I didn' mean ta give ya awl 'eart attacks! Wewd ya ratheh I be dead?"

"I'd ratheh yew'd wake me up an' tell me before yew pull dumb crap like t'is."

And so it was set. Cyan watched out the windows at the other children playing with sleds on the slope, having snowball fights, and the traditional things kids do during the snowfall. She peeked her head out to look over at her father and some of the other men down the side of the building, chipping snow off the overhand of the lower roof on the garage. 2D jabbed at the ice-encrusted packed up snow. He yelped when it came loose and flattened him, the other men laughing as he floundered to get out.

"Ya know, Stuart," Mister Christofferson pulled him to his feet, "sure I wos mad last night, but ih wos overcome by jubilation. Cyan's smart, she wewdn't've done ih unless ih wos necessary, an' let's face ih, Art doesn' like 'er bein' out o' 'is sight. Ih wos a dumb act, but they're okay."

2D glanced over just in time to see Cyan pull her head back inside. _Do I worry too much? _He stepped through the snow drifts and slipped through the door, kicking against the wall to knock loose what was still stuck to his boots.

"I wosn' outside, I swear!" said Cyan.

"I know. I'm sorry, love. Ih's jus'...I don' wont anyfin' ta 'appen ta yew."

"I'll be fine, an' so will te othehs once Misteh Muhdoc comes back."

"...Right. Yew con go play. I'm gonna go take a 'ot shower. Ih's like a normal shower, but wiff me in ih," he walked off, grinning widely.

"Did I really need ta know tha'? !" she shouted after him. "Wait!" He halted. " 'Ere," she handed him a thermos, " ih's 'ot chocolate." She pulled on all her snow gear and raced outside, plowing through the thicker snow drifts as best she could. Ferdinand came barreling after her, so she climbed halfway onto him to get through to the other children.

"Lewk Cyan!" said Cassie and Sandy, displaying their little snowman.

"Ih's ace!"

* * *

><p>I live in the Pacific Northwest, I see blue herons all the time when the tide's out, and bald eagles<p> 


	21. Big Ben's Chime

Big Ben's Chime

I am the voice of Dragons past

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>"C'mere boy!"<p>

Ferdinand loped down the hill to Cyan and Arthur. The boy grabbed the leash trailing on the large dog's collar. "Go 'ome! Go 'ome Ferdie!" The dog ran back up the slope, pulling Arthur with him. It was a warm, sunny day of Spring in March, a rare occurrence, but they were happy with it. Currently, the neighborhood kids were rollerblading. Well, the older kids were, Cassie and Sandy were just falling down a lot.

"Yew t'ere? !" Cyan called.

"Yep!" Arthur let go of the leash and coasted into Cyan's driveway, grabbing onto Stylo for good measure. It had been a long while since he had gone rollerblading, mostly because all Fall and Winter had been so dreary. Even now, they still had their jackets on. "Whoa! Crazy driver! Get off the road!"

Cyan steadied herself and looked back, pushing her goggles up to her forehead. A black car was approaching her rather fast, swerving every so often. It slowed when it reached her, but didn't stop. Now she was leaned against the grille, being pushed up the road. "Get yer stupid dad!" Murdoc shouted from the driver's seat. "I got news!"

"Misteh Muhdoc, yew came back!" He revved a little bit to push her off the car. Excited, she slid into the run, kicking her skates off, and tumbled into the house. "Misteh Muhdoc's back! 'E's 'ere! 'E came back!" There was a thunder of footsteps, 2D flying down the stairs from the second floor, and Russel rushing up his flight from the basement.

"Wot is ih? Wot did ya find? !" 2D set himself on the car, trying desperately to grab any papers or forms he saw.

"Back up 2-Dents!" Murdoc slammed the car door against him. "I said back! I gotta tire iron in 'ere!" Cyborg climbed out of the other side, but her movements were jerky and stiff, and little sparks kept shooting from her ears. "God, yer like a dog! When we get in the 'ouse I'll give ya the stupid files!" The two men started back to the house, leaving Cyborg behind.

"Umm..." Cyan saw her friends waiting in the street. "Family 'fing. I 'ave ta take care o' t'is. See ya." She turned back to the house, but noticed Cyborg trying to, with great difficulty, move her legs. "Wot's wiff yew?" The robot's head jerked to the side as more sparks flashed. "Okay..." Cyan grabbed her by the arm and started toward the house, her companion following without question.

Papers were strewn across the coffee table, 2D studying them intensely. Noodle had descended the stairs on her own in her condition, something she actually took great pride in. It wasn't an easy feat. "Who is this?" she asked Murdoc when she picked up one of the papers.

"Name's Annalise, Faceache's third born, second daughter. Cyan's the first daughter, second born after Charlie," he replied from the kitchen as he routed though drawers. "She lives in London, wos dropped at an orphanage as a baby, adopted at age two. Parents are a lawyer, don' fancy them, an' a veterinarian."

"She's pretty," 2D turned the photo in his hand so Cyan could see her little sister. Pretty was an understatement, the girl, though only eleven, was drop dead gorgeous. Luminous blue hair pulled back into a neat braid she had tossed on her shoulder, dimpled cheeks, burning brown eyes, a pixie smile with a few missing teeth that only added to the cuteness scale.

"Wow...impressive," Cyan took the photo, dropping her grip of Cyborg's arm in the process. "Does she 'ave brains ta go wiff t'ose looks?"

"She goes ta a private school," said Murdoc walking in with a bottle opener in one hand and a beer in the other. "So I'd think most likely." He noticed Cyborg standing halfway in the front door. "Wot's 'er problem?"

"She...I..I don' know," Cyan darted around to look over the papers on the table. "Where do yew get t'is information?"

"Tha's fer me ta know, runt."

"Awl te way in London?" said 2D.

"Tha's right, Westminster ta be exact. Meh best 'ope is ta 'ead up, grab the brat, an' come back down."

"Westminster?" Cyan collected the papers together. "Big Ben an' Buckingham Palace?"

"Wait," said Noodle, "I'm having second thoughts about Cyan going."

"Didn' know yew 'ad a say ta begin with," Murdoc smirked.

"Go piss blood, Murdoc."

"Somethin' yew 'aven' done in a while, 'ey love?" he laughed, patting his own stomach.

Her look of horror was accompanied by an intense desire to punch him in the face. "Stuart, you were the one who said you wanted Cyan in school and everything. Who knows how long all of this will take? We don't even know how many kids there are."

"Seven," said Murdoc. "Or there _were_ seven. In order, Charlie, Cyan, or Aishling, Annalise, Thomas, Joel, Primrose, Gabriel, three girls, four boys, an' wotever tha's gonna turn out ta be," he gestured to Noodle. "I only got Ann's information so far. Ih's 'ard work."

"But how long do ya think it'll take?" asked Russel.

"Depends on our mode o' transportation."

Cyan grabbed Noodle's hand. "Please Noodle, jus' cawl in sick fer me tomorrow, t'en we 'ave Saturday an' Sunday ta come back 'ome. I wont ta find 'em, I wont ta save 'em."

"C'mon Noods," said Murdoc. "Yer hormones aren' an excuse ta act like a bitch."

Russel growled. "Ya know Muds, you're the best at all ya do, an' all ya do is make people hate you."

"Wot crawled up yer arse an' died? Look, yew'll 'ave Cyborg, jus' let the kid go. Faceache, any comments?"

2D was staring off into space, a photo hanging limply in his hand. Murdoc slapped him in the back of the head. "Wha? Oh sorry. Jus' lost in thought."

"The only reason yew get lost in thought is 'cause ih's unfamiliar territory."

* * *

><p>"I've been meanin' ta ask yew somthin'."<p>

Murdoc was outside with Cyan. He was sitting on a lawn chair, she was in the grass, using a rock to sharpen her knife. "Wot's tha'?"

He turned to look at her. "Wot's with yer 'air?"

She tugged at her longer strands. "Our first year, Bonfire Night. I wos too close ta te launch pad an' Da' lit off a big one. Ih fell on ihs side an' exploded. Burned meh 'air, an' I guess I didn' feel like fixin' ih ta normal. Now I keep ih like t'is." She flinched when the raven from before landed on his shoulder. "Tha' yer bird?"

Noodle walked out of the house at that moment, the sharpening stone for the kitchen knives in hand. "Use this instead." She passed it down to the child and handed down a juice box as well. "Hey, Cortez!" she said almost cheerfully. "Where'd you end up?"

"An' ya don' feel the need ta ask me tha' question?" said Murdoc.

"Not really," she shrugged. "What do we do about Cortez?"

" 'E'll take care o' 'imself."

"Okay, but if I get news that he's been plucking the neighbor's horses' eyes out, I'm gonna stuff him like a Christmas turkey." She returned inside.

Ferdinand ambled over from his doghouse, obediently lying down and resting his large head on Cyan's knee. He never tried to let the girl out of his sight, it was his nature. "Yer stayin' behind Ferdie, can' go where I'm goin'."

"We're off!" 2D burst out from the house, the file and papers stuffed hurriedly under his arms. The car keys for Stylo were gripped in his side teeth.

"I'm drivin'!" Murdoc ripped the keys out of his mouth and wiped them off. He pushed Cortez off his shoulder, causing the bird to fly into the trees. "Yew took meh car, I'm drvin'." 2D didn't even care, he climbed into the passenger seat, wildly gesturing for Cyan to follow. After a quick slice down the sharpening stone, she clambered into the back seat. Russel appeared with a few travel bags and handed them through. " 'Urry up!" Murdoc complained. "We're goin'."

"Cyan! Cyan, seat belt!" Noodle cried out from the front door as the car rolled away. "Don't make the same mistakes I did!"

* * *

><p><em>*sigh* Gotta go find Dad. Mummy's late again.<em>

Annalise wasn't afraid of walking the streets alone, but the sky was starting to go dark. The twilight hour most likely, though the overcast sky had blocked out any sunset from her eyes. Streetlamps sparked to life, casting her bleak shadow around her. The people in the buildings beside her were active. One was a pub, a game on the telly that the patrons were cheering vivaciously for. Most others were restaurants, fanciful ones with cloth napkins and candlelight romance.

She stuck her tongue out at the thought. She always disliked getting dressed up, even her school uniform, which she wore right now. But her parents knew what was best, even though they weren't her birth parents. She wasn't sure if they knew she knew, she had discovered this from when her father was reorganizing his office and cleaning out the safe. She loved them dearly anyhow.

She started walking. Her father's office wasn't too far from her school. She had stayed late because she was in the play the drama class was preforming, but her mother had never showed up to get her. Her shoes clicked against the surface of the sidewalk. She came to a crosswalk, a dark shadowy figure standing at the lamppost. She didn't look up, only forward. It was rude to stare. She crossed the street and continued on.

It was following her. Whether it was a man or woman, she didn't know. They weren't too close, but kept her pace, slowing when she did and picking up when she did. _Ih's okay, everythin's peachy. _She hugged her book bag to her chest. Something suddenly slammed into her from the side.

"Ow! Damn ih!" said a shrill voice.

Annalise opened her eyes to see a very thin and petite girl picking herself up off the ground. Her eyes widened when she noticed something unique and almost scary. The girl had blue hair, just like her.

"Ih wos a joke!" the girl shouted back up the street she had sprang from. "Gyah! Damn Misteh Muhdoc, yew got 'eart pills fer yer blood pressure? T'ere's no way yew shewd still be breathin'!" She finally noticed her unintentional victim. "Sorry 'bout tha'." She extended her hand but faltered, "Wait, is your name Annalise?"

"Y-Yes."

The girl turned to face the street she'd come out from. "I found 'er!" She turned back. "Yew 'ave no idea 'ow lucky yew are! Te Boogieman's pr'olly 'round 'ere somewhere, jus' waitin' ta pounce!"

_This is too strange. _Two shapes starting running down the street the girl had been shouting up. Fearful, she leapt to her feet and took off running.

"Wait! Come back! Yer in dangeh!" The sound of footsteps, more than one set, echoed behind. "Stop!" The three pursuers pushed past a group of people, knocking one to the ground.

"Wos tha'-?"

"I think ih wos!"

"Wot are the Gorillaz doin' 'ere?"

"Is there a concert?"

"Who's tha' li'le girl?"

Annalise turned into an alleyway, a shortcut to the next street over. _Jus' one street away from Daddy's work. I'm almost there! _

" 'E'll kill yew! Stop!" a more masculine sounding voice pleaded.

She did. She slid to a halt and prepared to face whomever chased her here. She only got a glance. Three people, two with blue hair. A dark shape enveloped her and she saw nothing more.

* * *

><p>"NO!" 2D screamed as his daughter was hidden from view. Two flashing red eyes peered from the rolling black cloud. Then it faded, revealing the girl once more. She was standing, a horrified look of terror plastered on her frozen face. Her skin had immediately turned gray, her eyes pale. She only stayed upward for a moment, her knees buckled and she began to fall. Two arms shot from the cloak, one gripped her shoulder, the other had her leg. They could only watch in complete and frozen horror as the girl was ripped in two.<p>

A spray of blood flew at them and decorated the walls and street. They didn't even scream. The two halves were thrown aside, the creature stepping toward them. Murdoc was the first to come out of his state, seeing as how he wasn't that terrified. He picked up Cyan and began tugging at the necklace chain, choking the girl.

"Wot are yew doin'? !" 2D surfaced as well and flung himself at the man.

"Back up!" Murdoc slipped the chain off and dropped the poor choking girl to the ground. "Yew know wot this is," he swung the chain around, the charm at the very end dancing back and forth. "An' yew know wot'll 'appen."

The Boogieman faltered and stepped back into a pool of blood. He continued backing away, leaving a trail of footprints before he vanished back into his cloud. Cyan started sobbing, her fingers grasping her blood stained clothes. This place was a crime scene now, one of murder and of her innocence. "Please...please," she gasped out between choked breathes. "Please tell me she felt nuffin'!" she begged Murdoc.

"She wos dead as soon as 'e got 'er." Far away, a sound reverberated into the night air. Big Ben was singing. He was singing to the soul that had been stolen away from the innocent. "We can' stay!" Murdoc kicked 2D in the stomach. "Get yer kid an' let's go!"

The poor man stooped low and gathered Cyan in his arms, the girl still hysterical from her trauma. He followed Murdoc out of the alley, passing by the same group they had disrupted earlier.

"Wos tha' them again?"

"They're covered in blood!"

"Wot's goin' on?"

The group of friends wandered over to the alley just as Big Ben finished his song.


	22. Dark Horizon

Dark Horizon

I am the voice of Dragons past

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>"Ahh! Christ!" Murdoc kicked his door open and stepped out of Stylo, stretching his arms over his head. "I can' believe we slept in the fuckin' car las' night! Jus' 'cause we saw someone get murdered doesn' mean we couldn' find an actual place ta sleep!"<p>

"Shut up, Muhdoc!" 2D hissed from the passenger seat, jabbing his thumb to Cyan, who was still fast asleep in the back. "Ta yew ih may not be traumatizin', an' even maybe ta me, ta a lesser extent, but Cyan jus' wotched 'er sister get ripped in two, knowin' she cewdn' 'elp 'er." He opened his own door and stepped out. "Try 'avin' a 'eart fer once." He arched his back, the sound of disks popping as he stretched further backward. Then he turned toward the nearest building and urinated on it. It was early in the morning, no one was on the street. He sighed after emptying his bladder and then checked his phone messages. "Oh, somefink from Noods."

"Um...Stuart?" he set it on speaker phone, a strange rumbling noise in the background. "I don't mean to rush you, but will you be coming back soon? Things are...a little disturbing. Nothing bad is happening, no one's hurt, but...I..." she paused for a moment. "Okay, hear me out. Cyborg won't leave me alone! I'm standing in the laundry room with the dryer on right now! She follows me _everywhere. _I locked myself in the bathroom for two hours just to get a little privacy. I can't go into town because people will ask questions, I can't go outside because the kids are out there, she just..._watches _me. I'm so stressed out. Hang on, the door's opening," it cut out.

"Tha' tears ih!" 2D snapped his phone shut. "We're goin' 'ome!"

"O' course we are, Faceache. There's no reason fer us ta stay anymore! Yer kid's dead."

"Ohhh..." they both peeked in Stylo to see Cyan had woken up. She was trembling, her legs pulled against her chest. "She's dead...she's dead..."

"Ih's okay, love," 2D reached in to caress her face. "She didn' suffer, she's in a betteh place now. But we'll save te othehs. Yer meh love, be strong. Who's meh big girl?"

"I am..." she unwrapped her legs and set them down on the floor. "Now wot?"

"We go 'ome." He climbed back into his seat, looking at Murdoc until he did the same. "Scratch tha', firs' we get gas, t'en we go 'ome."

* * *

><p>2D leaned against the building, his arms crossed firmly over his chest. Through the window, he could see packs of different brands of cigarettes, calling to him. <em>You're stressed, light up a fag, you'll feel better.<em>

_I don' need yew, I gave up smokin'. Noodle's health is more important. _He shut his eyes, afraid of staring any longer.

"Da'!" Cyan rushed over to him. "Put 'tis on!" she tossed a cheap cap at him. " 'Urry!" she had a similar one on already, her blue hair bunched up under it. She also carried some candy bars and a newspaper folded under one arm.

"Wot's wrong, love?"

"Put ih on!" Once he did so, she unfolded the paper and held it up to him. "We're in big trouble."

**MURDER IN WESTMINSTER.**

_Last night, a horrible discovery was found by a group of college students. Two halves of a young girl were found in an alleyway. "Her blood was everywhere," says one of the students. "There was even a trail of footprints that abruptly stop right in the middle of the alley." The students claim they had seen the girl being pursued minutes before the discovery. "She was being chased by the Gorillaz. Murdoc and 2D, and some other kid, but it wasn't Cyborg Noodle. They followed her right into the alley. Then we heard screaming and they ran back out, covered in blood."_

_This discovery may be tied to two other murders in different parts of the UK. Charles Moss and Thomas Miller were two young boys suspected of being illegitimate offspring of Gorillaz frontman 2D, aka Stuart Pot. The young child found murdered is Annalise Robins, another suspected offspring. "One can't help but notice a pattern," said Matthew Carter, head of police. "Three dead children believed to be his offspring, and he shows up just before the third one dies."_

_The location of the bandmates is unknown after the band's breakup. Murdoc Niccals and his cyborg have been reported in several parts of the United Kingdom, but 2D, Russel, and the newly returned Noodle haven't been seen in years. The Gorillaz collaborators also report of no sign of the other members. Fans of the band are objecting to the thought of 2D being responsible, claiming a supernatural force has been hunting the band ever since their third album, Plastic Beach, was released. Whether this may be true or not, Stuart Pot is now a suspect in the case._

_"I want that man found," says Simon Robins, the adoptive father of Annalise. "I want him found, and I want him to pay for what he's done."_

_There has been no comment on the mysterious bloody footprints, but detectives are assuring the public that they are working their hardest to decipher what could have caused such an occurrence._

2D stopped reading and pulled the hat further over his hair. Cyan pulled out a pair of sunglasses and handed them over as well. "We may need ta go ta extreme measures ta 'ide who we are."

"I say we drop te accents," 2D suggested. "Jus' try ta sound more like Muhdoc. I mean...Murdoc."

"Okay...I'll try."

"Let's get the 'ell outta 'ere!" Murdoc rushed over to them. "Yew saw the paper?"

"Yeah, we're doomed if we don' leave," said 2D.

"Why is yer voice deeper?"

"In-cog-ni-to. They're afteh us."

"No they're not, we jus' gotta be careful. No stoppin'," he climbed into Stylo. "We go straight back. Get in."

2D opened his door, but didn't get in when he saw Cyan staring off. "Wot's up?" She didn't respond. He stood beside her and looked up. A spiderweb was strung between a sign and the building, the spider sitting comfortably in the middle. There were a few rips in the threads from bugs getting caught.

"Ih's a web," she whispered. "Awl o' t'is. Sun Moon Stars 'as strung a web an' waits. An' as 'e waits fer a certain prey," she looked over her shoulder at Murdoc, "innocent bugs are caught, jus' 'cause t'ey 'appen ta be in ta way. We're not in te web, but we're strayin' close."

* * *

><p>Russel sighed, the banging getting louder when she knew he was still there. He was standing in the run, facing the garage. Though the details were a little fuzzy, he knew what had transpired here, it actually wasn't that hard to figure out when one has been paying attention. Noodle had locked Cyborg in the garage and escaped into town.<p>

"Let me out!"

If it weren't for the sounds of electrical surges and the solid noise of her metal 'bones' hitting the door, he would have sworn it was actually Noodle stuck in there. They sounded so alike.

"Release me at once!"

He didn't know why he wouldn't do that. Maybe he was amused for some reason. The thought that a high-tech robot body guard was trapped in a garage was funny. Noodle had most likely either emptied her guns, or took them away. His attention was drawn to the driveway when Mako pulled up.

"She get out yet?" Noodle heaved herself to her feet from the driver's side, hanging onto the car frame for support.

"Nope," he responded. "How didja manage to do this?"

"It's a secret." She picked up a box from the passenger side and walked over to him. "New toaster, she shot the other." She rapped her knuckles on the door. "Cyborg? Do you know why I put you in there?"

No response.

"Because you obliterated my fucking toaster!" she unlocked the door and walked calmly into the house. Cyborg peered around the doorway, opening it slowly. She pushed it all the way open and stepped into the run.

"Word o' advice," said Russel, "don' mess with baby-girl. Her emotions are outta wack, I'm sure she don' mean any o' this."

"Why are Subject Noodle's, quote, 'emotions out of wack'?"

" 'Cause she's pregnant an' the hormones go crazy. That bump in her stomach is a baby."

"Known fact, I sensed a life signal inside of her. That is how humans are created. I was constructed bit by bit." She paused for a moment. "Is it...conscious?"

"What?"

"Does it...feel?"

"Oh, I get it. No one really knows. It's alive, and apparently it can hear what's happenin' on the outside, hear our voices an' stuff, but I don' know if it actually has emotions yet. Some say life begins at conception, others, once they're born. But I think- holy shit!" his attention was now directed as the beaten up black Camaro rolled into place next to Mako. But his joy was flattened when only three people emerged from the car, and concern erupted when he realized their clothes were stained with blood. "What happened?"

2D, carrying Cyan in his arms, pushed past him to get in the house. The hat he wore shadowed his face, but there were definite tear stains. Cyan had her face covered by her hands. He set her down on the couch and walked into the kitchen, bumping into the counter once because he wouldn't lift his head. An open box with a shiny new toaster was sitting on the counter. _Wot wos wrong wiff te old one? _he couldn't help but wonder through his funk.

"Stuart?" Noodle walked out from the laundry room. "You're back!" She threw her arms around him, awkwardly hugging her stomach to his back. "Where's Murdoc and Cyan? Oh! Where's Annalise? Was she scared? Did you see the Boogieman? Are they outside?" She stopped her questions when she realized he wasn't responding. "Stu? What is it? What's wrong?"

"I..." he picked up the toaster. "Is t'is a new toaster? Where's te directions? Aren' t'ere any safety guidelines?"

"Um...yeah, don't stick a fork in it." She shook his shoulder. "Talk to me. Where are the others?"

"Muhdoc's outside wiff Russ an' Cyborg, Cyan's on te couch."

"What...what about Annalise? Where is she?" He turned around to face her. "Stuart! Your clothes!" She began to tremble. "What happened? Where is she?"

"She's dead!" Cyan screamed. "I saw ih awl! 'E ripped 'er in two!" She jumped off the couch and ran into the kitchen. "She didn' 'ave a chance!" Noodle knelt so she could hug the poor girl to her chest.

"It's okay, Cyan. As long as you and the others are alright." The girl continued to sob loudly, releasing the emotions she had pent up inside when the act of murder had unfolded before her eyes. "This is why I didn't want you going. I want you-"

"No!" she pushed herself away. "I can' abandon 'em! T'ey need me! I'm t'eir big sister, an' I won' let 'em suffer fer Misteh Muhdoc's mistakes!" She pulled out the charm pendant and kissed it. "Ta te memory o' Charlie, Thomas, an' Annalise."

"Get ou' 'ere!" Murdoc called from the doorway. "I wanna show ya somthin'." When the three emerged outside, he instantly snatched the charm out of Cyan's fingers. He twirled it on the chain and threw it. They weren't quite sure how, but Evangelist sprang from thin air, landing gracefully on the grass. "Tha's 'ow ya use ih."

Evangelist strode over to them, leaning down to look at each of them. She extended her hand to Cyan, who grasped onto one of her fingers. "I remembeh yew. Wot are yew exactly?" The being whipped out the board and scribbled on it.

_I am what I am. I was always meant to be so._

"But 'ow do yew exist?"

Erase. _I think, therefore, I am._

" 'Ow did yew come ta be?"

_I was always meant to be. _Erase._ Where there is Death, there is Life._ Erase._ Where there is Dark, there is Light. _Erase. _Where there is Sun Moon Stars, there is Evangelist. He came into being, I followed as Nature's balance. _Erase. _Death requires us both._

"Wotch oveh 'em, I gotta go." He started toward the driveway, Cyborg following. "Ih shouldn' be too long. Cortez is stayin', jus' leave out some meat every once inna while."

* * *

><p>happy Halloween! And Happy Birthday Noodle!<p> 


	23. The City That Never Sleeps

The City That Never Sleeps

I am the voice of Dragons past

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>"Welcome ta Creepy Crawley, birthplace o' yers truly!"<p>

"T'is is where yew where born?" Cyan looked out the car window as they passed some public gardens. "Ih's so cute!"

"Yeah," said 2D, "don' remember much though, wos too li'le. Spent most o' meh life in Hertfordshire. Also a lot o' time in Eastbourne. Tha's where meh da's fun fair is. I worked on ih fer a while."

"I know," she replied curtly.

"Did I eveh tell yew tha'?"

"No, but Eastbourne is where I wos born."

"Oh..." he sank down in his seat, "right."

"Where not 'ere ta sight-see!" Murdoc snapped. "We're off ta Gatwick Airport, ih'll get us ta New York."

Cyan bounced in her seat. "Lemme see te file! Let me see meh brother!"

Murdoc reached for the folder, causing Stylo to swerve dangerously. "Oh, shut up ya fuckers!" he roared at the other drivers when they honked.

"Now Muhdoc, le's be nice," 2D twiddled his fingers, trying to hide his nervousness about being in the same car with the man with him driving.

"Yew shut up before I beat seven shades o' shit outta yew!"

"Try sayin' tha' ten times fast," Cyan grasped the folder as it was passed to her, picking up a mini flashlight since the sky outside was darkening. The picture depicted a little boy with messy blue hair that had more of a darkish tone and green eyes. _Gabriel Winter. Left by his mother at his grandparents' house in New York. _"But New York is 'uge! 'Ow are we gonna find 'im?"

"Good ole Murdoc already figured tha'. Got 'is address. Lives in NoMad."

"Nomad?"

"Yer pro'lly thinkin' wrong. NoMad is the northwest neighborhood o' Madison Square Park, formed by the intehsection o' Fifth Avenue an' Broadway. I reckon yew know 'bout Broadway."

"O' course!"

"An' wot else is on Broadway? A location very often associated with New York?"

"Um..."

"Broadway an' Seventh Avenue, c'mon kid, I thought yew were smart."

"Wait...wait...Times Square!"

"If ih weren't fer tha' stupid blue 'air o' yers, I wewd honestly doubt yew were yer idiot dad's child."

"Sittin' in te car," 2D reminded him.

"Do yew think I give a fuck?" Stylo pulled into the parking garage for Gatwick. " 'Urry up! We ain' got much time. Yer wig's slippin', mate," he said to 2D. With a groan, 2D straitened the offending brunette hair piece. It itched terribly. Cyan didn't have one, but she could easily pass off the excuse that it was a fad, since the paper hadn't gotten a good description of her. Noodle had worked some magic on Murdoc, using make-up to give his face and hands a believable skin tone. She even filed down some of his teeth, a job she had almost immediately passed to Cyborg due to the smell.

The trio descended in the lift to pass into the terminal. Determined to play an act to keep her father safe, Cyan waved cheerfully at people like a truly excited child going on vacation. "I'm goin' ta New York!" 2D, not playing any role, grabbed her hand to keep her in his limited sights.

"Ya eveh been on a plane, runt?" Murdoc took off his shoes and placed everything in his pockets in the tray.

"Nope," Cyan lifted her backpack up to the X-ray machine. She had left the knife behind for this specific reason, but kept the slingshot. "Didn' travel much at awl."

"Yeah well...if ya get sick an' try to puke on me, I won' think twice 'bout throwin' ya out the emergency exit door."

"Noted." She didn't let his threat get to her, but she actually was nervous. Statistically speaking, she was very unlikely to die in a plane crash (she had checked online before they left), but New York had a little bit of a bad run with planes. She knew of the Hudson River indecent and September 11, but she figured she was being a little paranoid. These sort of things happened everywhere.

She ended up with the window seat (score!) so while the plane loaded, she watched the workers with the bags down on the runway. The people around them were busy putting carry-ons in the upper compartment and getting settled for the ride. Something kicked the back of her seat. She raised herself on her knees to look over. A small boy, barely four by the looks of it, was clutching a teddy bear and swinging his legs. "Knock ih off," she said softly. "I don' like tha'."

He looked up. "And I don't like pwanes!"

_American accent. _"Goin' 'ome?"

"Yes, I came here to see Daddy since he's on his business twip. Now I'm going home to Mommy."

"Who's goin' with yew?"

"My big bwother."

"Please fasten yer seat belts, we're about to take off," said a flight attendant over the intercom.

"Sit down," Murdoc reached across 2D, who had the middle seat, and pulled Cyan roughly to face the right way. "Don' draw any kind o' attention."

"Jus' settle, love," 2D stroked her hair. "Ih won' take long."

* * *

><p>Cyan opened her eyes when the plane touched down. She hadn't been sleeping, she couldn't really call what had been going through her mind as any kind of dream she'd ever known. People groaned and stood up, stretching taut muscles and cramped legs from the seven hour flight.<p>

"I can' believe ih's still te same day tha' we left," said 2D looking out the window. "Ih's not dark 'ere yet."

"I'd prefer ta scout the town in daylight, considering the circumstances," Murdoc growled. " 'E's less likely ta strike in daylight. Tha' whole stereotypical thing, monsters only come ou' at night." He paused for a moment. "Ih's not true, don' believe tha' fer a second." He opened the upper compartment just in time for their bags to fall on 2D's head. "Get up!" he complained at the poor man under the baggage.

_Misteh Muhdoc seems particularly mean t'day. I wondeh if 'e's nervous? _She pulled off some bags so 2D could get up. They exited the plane, Murdoc grudgingly led them through crowds of families, children, and business men, muttering obscenities the whole way. _Somefink's wrong... 'e's awl jumpy. Is Gabe awlready dead?_

"Taxi!" Murdoc flagged them down a ride out in front of the terminal. "NoMad." Cyan found herself shoved between the two men, but she was leaned across her father's lap to see the outside. Tall buildings that stretched upward towards the skies, giant television screens advertising thousands of different products, neon signs that could give someone a seizure.

"Ya here for vacation?" said the driver. "You'll enjoy this place. Lots to do."

"I'm a kid in New York City," Cyan cheered. "Te world is meh oyster!"

When she was preoccupied with the other side of the street, 2D pulled out his pills and swallowed a few. He wasn't sure how many, but it wasn't the recommended dose. _Old 'abits die 'ard..._ he pondered. He chewed fiercely on his toothpick, fighting the urges to inhale some smoke into his lungs. And New York wasn't helping. When the driver let them off, they were right outside a kiosk, a display of cigarettes mocking him. _Oh God..._ his hand reached out for one.

"Where's te address?" Cyan was helping Murdoc check his pockets, mostly by ripping off his jacket and emptying each individual pocket. "Found ih!" she held up a slip of paper. "C'mon Da'!"

He followed the two down the sidewalk, a packet of smokes tucked up his sleeve.

* * *

><p>"I'm comin'!" Gabriel Winter paused his game on his Playstation 3, the plasma screen freezing as the game menu came up. His grandparents were out at the moment, leaving him alone in the apartment. And since they lived in an apartment, the only people knocking on their door was usually neighbors. He cracked his knuckles and peered into the peephole. A dark ocean-blue eyes was staring straight back. He opened the door to be greeted by the sight of a small blue-haired girl and two men. "I know you, you're the Gorillaz!"<p>

"Glad ya know us," Murdoc tossed his jacket over the boy and stepped inside. "Tha'll make this a whole lot easier."

Gabriel pulled the jacket off his head, his hair spiking up from the rubbing of the fabric. "You've been on the news! Some murder case or somethin'." 2D and Cyan passed him and both settled in chairs. "But why are you here?"

"Meet yer dad," Murdoc plopped down on the couch.

"So it's true? !" Gabriel pushed his fingers through his blue locks. "Grandma an' Grandpa said Mom slept with some rockstar, an' since 2D has blue hair like me...I always had it figured-"

"Ya guessed right. Now yew listen ta me-"

"No!" Cyan cut in. "I'll explain ih."

"Listen runt-"

"Stop cawlin' me tha'!"

"Let the pretty girl explain it," said Gabriel. He eyed her up and down with great interest.

"I'm yer sister, slap tha' lewk off yer face." Those words did the deed for her. She cracked a smile at the dumbfounded expression that was plastered on his face. "I'm Cyan, an' t'ere were seven o' us. Only four remain, do yew know why?"

"I know you guys didn' murder anyone. Especially kids."

"Do yew follow te fanbase?"

"My grandparents don' like me to, but I do anyway. I always had a feelin' 'bout me bein' related to 2D."

"T'en yew know 'bout Sun Moon Stars," said 2D.

"That creepy guy with the gas mask? Yeah, I know 'bout him."

"Great!" said Murdoc in mock enthusiasm. "Then pack up an' let's go!"

"Wha- what do ya mean?"

"Yer in grave dangeh," 2D explained. "Jus' 'cause yer meh kid. Sun Moon Stars will find yew, an' 'e'll kill yew. I've seen ih done wiff meh own two eyes."

Gabriel looked at each of them several times. "Is this a joke? I mean...I've never even met any o' you, an' you're sayin' some guy is on his way right now to kill me?"

"Believe us or not," Murdoc stood up, "either way, yer comin' with us."

"Don' force 'im Muhdoc!"

"Where's yer loo?" the man growled.

"My what?" asked Gabriel.

"Where's yer toilet?" Cyan translated for him. "We're British. Well...t'ey are, I'm Irish."

"Next room over." Murdoc took off in the direction he had pointed. "He's not jokin', is he?"

"I'm afraid not," Cyan pulled at the neck of her shirt to show off the scar. "T'is is minor, I'm still alive. Yew won' be so lucky if yew doubt us." She put a hand on his shoulder. "T'is is yer big sisteh talkin', come wiff me if yew wont a live." Gabriel cracked a smile.

"I'll go with ya, but can I tell my grandparents first? They shouldn' be too long."

"If tha's the case," Murdoc walked back in, "I'm goin' ou' fer a bit. Leave me behind, an' I'll poke yer eyes out. Yew," he turned to 2D, "I'll put meh boot in yer arse." He pulled his jacket back on and escaped out the door.

Gabriel hummed a little as he changed the plasma screen to TV, figuring that was the best thing to do for his new company. "Where are we gonna go?"

" 'Ome," 2D replied. "Valleyridge, tha's where Noodle an' Russel an' Cyborg are. Yew'll be safe t'ere."

"Then what?"

"T'en we find te next kid. Listen..." he seemed jittery, "I'm gonna go too, won' be long. Yew got yer cell phone, Cyan?"

"Yep."

"Okay," he left a little too quickly for normal.

"Huh, waddya know? I got somefink from Noodle. 'Cyan, Stuart's phone must still be off from te plane ride'." She texted her reply back and read aloud Noodle's reply. " 'Fings are okay fer now. Nothin' major. We're copin'." She texted. " 'Cyborg? She 'asn' acted ou'. She's 'andin' me right now'." She had a funny look on her face. "Wot?" Her phone dinged as another text sprang up. " 'Elpin' me! Duckin' autocorrect." The girl erupted into laughter. "T'is is te stuff I live fer!"

* * *

><p>2D's hands trembled as he pulled out a cigarette from the box. He ended up dropping it and having to get another. He was crouched out in the hallway, several feet away from the door his children resided behind. Cyan would be so disappointed if she found out what he was about to do. He stuck the cancer stick between his lips, flicking away his chewed up toothpick. He lit the end and took a deep inhale, immediately feeling some stress loosen.<p>

_Why did I give t'is up? _The memory of Noodle running over to him, throwing him into a tight hug and telling him some of the greatest news of his life flashed in his mind.

"I'm pregnant!"

He choked on his second inhale and spat the cigarette out. He leaned on the wall, mentally scolding himself. He even scratched at his face and pinched his skin as punishment. _I don' need ih. I don' need ih. I don' need ih. _He screamed when the fire alarm went off. His cigarette was still lit and had ignited the carpet. He quickly started stomping it out, but the sparks hit the wallpaper.

"Shit!" he turned to go back to Gabriel's apartment, but the rush of fleeing people prevented him from getting there. "Cyan! Gabriel!" The crowd pushed him away from the door. _T'ey'll come wiff te crowd. I'll find 'em outside._

* * *

><p>When Cyan had opened the apartment door, the throng of people had moved away, but only one thing remained. "Oh God no!" His appearance from his black void spread the flames even more, flinging them all over the hall. He was where 2D had been sitting, a good ways away from her place partially hidden behind the door. But even from the distance she could see the shattered lens of his left eye. The Boogieman stared at her, not moving toward or away.<p>

"Is that him?" Gabriel whispered, clinging to her arm.

"Yeah, tha's 'im."

"What's he gonna do?"

"I'm not quite sure."

Their answer came when he swept his cloak over the flames, shooting them down the hall and causing some to bounce off the door. The kids yelled and slipped behind the door for shelter. They only saw the last bit of his cloak disappear down the hall when they got back up.

" 'E's goin' afteh Misteh Muhdoc!" Cyan slammed the door shut, trapping them inside the apartment. She whipped out her phone and dialed on it, pacing as she held it to her ear.

"Wot?" he sounded irritated.

" 'E's 'ere! Te Boogieman's 'ere! 'E's comin' fer ya!"

"Then where are yew? !"

"We're trapped in Gabe's apartment by a fire! Is Da' wiff yew?"

"No! I'm in Times Square!"

She gasped when her phone beeped and her conversation was cut short. "Batteries are dead!"

"We're gonna die!" Gabriel screamed.

"I won' go like t'is!" She tugged off her mother's chain and swung the charm. Gabriel shouted in terror and retreated behind the couch when Evangelist appeared. "Con yew get us outta 'ere?"

Her question was answered when Evangelist swung her up onto her back and snagged Gabriel in her arms. The boy kicked viciously, but she held tight. Smoke began to curl from under the door frame. Evangelist rushed at one of the window, shattering it and sending the three of them plummeting to the concrete below. She evened out and miraculously landed without any damage. The crowd below split apart when she descended, screaming even after the kids were released.

Cyan looked around for her father, but realized that there were other things to worry about. Murdoc was in danger, and, even though she hadn't known the man long, she knew she had to help. Her searching eyes settled on some empty cabs parked on the curb, their drivers taking a smoking break. "By any chance, do yew know 'ow ta drive?" she asked Gabriel.

"Do I know how to drive? Ya got two years experience o' Grand Theft Auto talkin' here!"

* * *

><p>Murdoc wasn't a man of all this fancy technology that kids these days were using, so when Cyan's voice cut out, he assumed the worst. <em>Too bad, she wos a good kid. <em>He flicked his phone shut and immediately began plotting. _I'll escape back ta Valleyridge, get Cyborg, raid their kitchen, an' scoot along. _He began pushing people out of his way. Times Square was crowded like always. Traffic stretching out of sight around buildings, people milling about from vendors and crosswalks.

He started over a crosswalk, hands stuffed in his pockets, head low. The night was beginning to set in and the streets were coming alive. The city that never sleeps was stretching its arms for the people to flow smoothly. His thoughts of running off were interrupted when something hit him in the side, sending him sprawling into the intersection where cars had just started to cross. They slammed on their brakes, honking horns and shouting curses.

Murdoc staggered to his feet, facing the Boogieman, who crossed the asphalt to meet him. "So...I guess yew win, huh? Cheap shot."

The dark figure stared back.

"Move will ya? !" shouted one of the drivers.

"Shut up!" Murdoc shouted back, turning his head back only to realize he was now level with the Boogieman's outstretched hand. Then there were the screams and the screeching of tires. Cars hastily moved as far over as they could get as a taxi zoomed into the intersection. Murdoc twisted to avoid the car, getting clipped by the side mirror. It spun out and came to a halt.

"Talk abou' lucky," he joked, but the Boogieman closed his fingers around his neck. Suddenly a yellow flash slammed into the Boogieman and sent him flying into a window display. Murdoc gripped his own neck after those cold fingers had been ripped loose. The taxi halted once more and the driver, or _drivers, _opened the door. "Cewdn't yew brats 'ave 'it 'im on the firs' round? !"

"We popped a U-y an' came right back!" Gabriel argued. But before he could say anything more, Cyan's slender arms wrapped around his neck.

"Yew said yew cewd drive!" she yelled.

"Grand Theft Auto is a video game!" he choked out.

"Wotever!" Murdoc limped toward them, his side smarting from getting hit by the mirror. He yanked both of them away from driver's door, pushing them toward the back. "I'm drivin'."

"Get off te sidewalk!" Cyan shouted before climbing inside.

The cab peeled out, throwing the two kids into the back of their seat. The cab dove into a storm of honking cars and pissed-off people, swerving around so as to not have to slow down. The crowd was still outside the apartment, but, thankfully, there was no sign of smoke anymore. The cab screeched to halt when Murdoc saw two people he recognized. "Yer no longer needed!" he said to Evangelist, who faded away on that command. "Numb nuts, get in the car!" 2D, who had been sheltered beside the white robed figure, dashed over the cab hood and climbed in.

"Gabe, Cyan, yew two awrigh'?" he asked frantically.

"We're fine...Dad," the word slipped off Gabriel's lips in a soothing fashion. It felt good to say that word. "Now what?"

"We make our escape," Murdoc slammed on the brake again. The poor civilians on the crosswalk leapt out of the way as he barreled by. "Woops, 'ere come the ol' five-O." Cyan didn't know whether to pray to the heavens or scream and cuss, when she saw the red and blue flashing lights.

_On one 'and, I won' die. On te otheh, t'ey'll recognize us...maybe. _"Speed up!" she finally yelled.

* * *

><p>Gabriel was the one who pulled through in the parking garage. He taught them the style of crouch-running between the cars and popping heads up to glance about. Video games did teach kids some things.<p>

"Ta the lift!" Murdoc rushed from his hiding place, 2D following.

"The what? !" Gabriel called from about two rows away.

"Elevator!" Cyan translated, weaving her body among tightly packed cars.

" 'Urry!" Murdoc stuck his leg between the closing doors. He yelped when they pressed together and then frantically yanked his leg inside. "They're supposed ta open!"

2D began banging on the doors, even kicking them and throwing his shoulder against them. "Cawl maintenance!"

"Try a button," Murdoc suggested.

When pressing for the random floor didn't make the lift move, 2D slammed his fist against the panel. There was a buzzing noise, then the lights cut out.

"Nice goin', dumbass!"

* * *

><p>"Da'!" Cyan was also banging against the door, her fear rising when all the lights in the garage died out. <em>'Oribbly cheesy. But I 'fink I pissed mehself either way. <em>"We gotta 'ide." She grabbed her brother's hand and retreated between the cars. Faintly, the sounds of her father and Murdoc reverberated from inside the lift. The doors were shuddering as 2D slammed against them repeatedly, but refused to yield to him. And that was the only sound in the whole garage.

_Where are te otheh people? Planes come an' go awl 'ours o' te day...why aren' t'ere people 'ere? _A clattering noise made her spin around. Gabriel was crouched by their current shelter-car, his hands covering his mouth. A soda can lay a few feet from him, still rocking back and forth.

"I'm so sorry," he mouthed.

"You have no idea how much I want to hit you right now," she mouthed back. He gave her a funny look.

Suddenly the can began rolling in one direction, like a breeze had caught it. Gabriel scooched over so they could embrace each other. The can stopped rolling, still barely in their eyesight. A foot shot out and kicked it far across the rows. They heard it land somewhere, but only because the noises from inside the lift had stopped.

_Daddy..._

The two children slipped underneath the car, the stench of oil and tar overwhelming. Faint footsteps clicked, coming closer, than going further. Cyan sank her teeth into her own lip when a gloved hand clenched into the metal of the car they were sheltering under. There was a horrific screeching sound, like nails on a chalkboard, or claws on the side of a car. There was a thump. He was on top.

Gabriel was crying, his hands folded with his forehead rested against them. "Dear Lord in Heaven, save us," he whispered so softly she almost couldn't hear him.

* * *

><p>Noodle shuddered. A strange feeling had engulfed her. She was afraid, but of what, she didn't know. Something dark and foreboding. But her thoughts were shoved away when the doorbell rang. Russel was banging away on something in the basement, so she was only left to answer.<p>

"Don't shoot anything," she told Cyborg, who was seated at the table.

"It was a threat."

"Toast popping up in the toaster does not give you an excuse to turn my kitchen into the gun range. If you want to do something productive, go shoot at birds." She took one look at her mug of hot water being heated in the microwave before making her way for the door.

"Hi Missus Pot," said Arthur, a ball in his arms. "Can Cyan come out an' play?"

"I'm sorry Art, but she's not here right now. I'm not sure when she'll be back-" she yelped when a small chime went off, followed by loud gunfire. "Excuse me." She slammed the door shut. Poor Arthur only heard, "God dammit!" before he ran off.

Noodle waved her hand around to clear the smoke residue. "I've had it!" To increase her fury, the microwave door fell away and smashed on the floor. "Do you realize how much it sucks to have a house guest who's armed to the teeth, _literally_? ! I'm calling Stuart!"

* * *

><p>Both the children's eyes shot open when they heard it. The stifled music of a cell phone ringing. The Boogieman heard it as well. He leapt from the top of the car and began weaving among the rows. Cyan strained to listen, her own blood flow blocking her ears. But she recognized the tune. It was her father's cell phone.<p>

"Let's get outta 'ere!" she hissed, shoving her brother.

The two children took off towards the first neon sign they could see on the outside. In the back of her mind, Cyan wondered if they were even on ground level. She glanced over her shoulder once, swearing on her life on seeing the dark shadow dip between cars. Her foot snagged on the concrete, sprawling her between the rows. A searing pain bolted through her right wrist when it became wedged between her falling body and the floor. A metallic scraping noise echoed in the background, drawing the Boogieman's attention.

"Come an' get me!" 2D sang loudly, taking off for the upper ramp.

Cyan rolled onto her belly and stood up shakily. Her shirt was ripped and her arm was torn up and bleeding, as was her bottom lip which she had split with her teeth. Gabriel was nowhere in sight, so she started off into the row she had skidded to. The Boogieman was a little perplexed on what to do now. He had prey running in two separate directions on the same floor, one heading up to the next level, and one he hadn't seen yet. Murdoc was his main target, but until the man showed himself...

The Boogieman faced the direction Cyan was hobbling. Though she didn't know, Gabriel was fleeing in her direction. Two birds with one stone. The two children collided.

"Ow!" Gabriel felt the side of his head, almost crying out when he felt wetness, but it turned out to be an oil stain. "Cyan?" The girl was unresponsive, but her shoulders were trembling as she tried to lift herself. "Get up!" He grabbed her arm and hauled her to her feet. Half of her face was a mess, black with tar and red with blood.

The oil puddle Gabriel had landed in rippled as their chaser rose out of it. They couldn't even flee as one hand grabbed Gabriel by the neck and the other reached out for his sister. The boy struggled and lashed out at where the Boogieman's body should've been, but he struck nothing.

"Leave 'em alone!" 2D was bolting down the ramp toward them. "Let 'em go!"

Ignoring his desperate pleas, the Boogieman grabbed the front of her shirt. A white flash caused him to leap back as Evangelist sprang from the charm. She held her arms out from her sides, protecting the child. Despite the obvious danger, Cyan stumbled forward, non-bleeding hand reaching out toward her brother. Gabriel stretched his arm, frantically trying to escape his imminent death. Their fingers touched just as all hope was ripped away. The poor boy screamed as his sister was carried off and his sight disappeared in a cloud of black swirls just as the Evangelist reached out.

Cyan could only go limp from the pain of sudden movement, willingly allowing Murdoc to escape with her in his arms.

* * *

><p>wow! a long one<p>

for those who don't know, 'pop a U-y' means do a U-turn.


	24. Through the Mist

Through the Mist

I am the voice of Dragons past

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>Stylo turned onto the road that stretched up the slope. Murdoc grumbled to himself, the pain in his side still aching from getting hit by the side mirror three days ago. In that time, he had dropped 2D and Cyan at their doorstep and took off in Stylo. They knew he'd be back, so they didn't worry about him stealing the car. It took only a day for him to find the next child and he had it figured this one would be easier than the others.<p>

It was a cheerful looking day. A few clouds in the sky, but overall warm and sunny. And on such a nice day, one would expect to see children playing, even if they hated kids. But there were none. The neighborhood kids he had seen Cyan playing with on other occasions weren't there. Nothing was there. No people, no animals either. It was completely quiet, almost eerily.

Murdoc screamed when something smacked his windshield, splattering orange colored entrails all over in his sight. He slammed on the brake, some of the juices rushing down the glass in rivulets. He climbed out of the car and looked off to the side, his face contorting in rage. Cyan was standing on the side of the road. Her face was covered in bandages and her right arm was back in a wrist guard, only this one was bigger than the first, and the material was black. She held an orange tightly in her fingers, her nails piercing the skin.

"Wot the 'ell are yew doin'? !" Murdoc shouted at her.

"Yew've ruined our lives! T'ere is no 'appy endin' fer us now! Te ghosts o' t'ose kids will 'aunt us! 'Why cewdn' yew save me big sister? Why did yew let me die?' I wake up at night screamin'!" She swung her arm up, the orange still held tightly.

"I know wot yer thinkin' 'bout doin', an' I'm warnin' yew-" he was interrupted by the orange making contact with his stomach. With a cry of fury, he sprang forward, ready to rip her limb from limb. Cyan screamed in fear and took off for the few trees on the side of the road. She swung up on a single low branch and scaled to right out of his reach like a champion. "Get down 'ere yew li'le bitch!"

" 'Elp!" she yelled. " 'E's gonna eat me! Cannibal! Cannibal!"

"Wot are yew doin' throwin' oranges at meh car? !"

"We didn' 'ave any grapefruit!"

"I'll send yew ta yer mother when I'm done with yew!"

"Don' talk about meh mum! Yew don' know anyfin' about 'er!"

" 'Er name wos Bree!"

Cyan screeched like she was in pain and fell from her perch. She missed hitting Murdoc, but landed flat on the ground, creating a loud thud. Her eyes had gone pale again, her breath rapid and uneven. He nudged her with the toe of his boot.

"What's goin' on? !" Russel was barreling down the hill right for them. "What did you do? !"

"I didn' do anythin'! Why do ya gotta blame me fer everthin'?"

" 'Cause it's usually your fault!"

At that moment, Cyan jumped up and ran up the slope to the house. Cyborg was standing on the hill crest, most likely having followed Russel outside. She watched the girl rush past her, looked back down to her master, then followed Cyan back into the house.

Russel's hand skillfully grabbed Murdoc by the front of his shirt and twisted the cloth. "You're not welcome here. Do you have any idea the trouble you've been causin' us? We don' need this stress, one among us in particular."

"Let go Lards," Murdoc tried to smooth out the wrinkles after he was released. "Faceache is jus' bein' a whiner. I'll smack some sense inta 'im."

"Well ya can'. We haven' seen Stuart since breakfast."

" 'E jus' ponced off somewhere ta cry over ih. 'E'll come back."

* * *

><p>Cyan sat on the floor of her room, staring at her photo wall. It was covered in pictures of her favorite moments with her new family. There was their first Bonfire Night together, the one that resulted in her hair getting burnt off. There were the photos from the lake, the ones from hiking in the Hills, birthdays, barbecues, random get-togethers with neighbors, her on the Norsby's horses, and several more. At the center of the wall were three photos, the ones from Murdoc's file, her brothers. There was also her favorite one. A picture of after she lost her other front top tooth, side by side with her father, both of them grinning at the camera.<p>

She absentmindedly touched her split lip and her damaged face. _Awl t'is 'as gone wrong. _She remembered school earlier, and how everyone had gawked at the wounds. She didn't speak at all, even when Arthur urged her. There was nothing to say. When she had returned home, 2D was missing. But since one of the quads was also gone, she easily had it figured he had fled to one of the Hills in particular. She planned to chase after him later. But her first stage of revenge against Murdoc had been only slightly sweet. It didn't dull the pain.

She rose to her feet and went out onto her balcony that surrounded her whole room. She looked out across the green grass plain, out to the Hills. A dark patch of clouds was rolling in over them. She sighed and descended her outside ladder. While she was in the run, she could hear Noodle shouting at Murdoc. _Te neighbors mus' 'fink we're killin' each otheh. _The garage door was open, so she simply grabbed a helmet and a quad. The shouting inside quieted down noticeably as she started the engine and took off.

The Hills were nobody's property, but there were once some rumors off a hermit living up there. She still wasn't sure it was true. Each had its own name. Fallridge had a river and a series of small waterfalls that made it perfect for picnics. Hollowridge had a series of underground caves, some which crossed with Fallridge's water feed. There were plenty of rumors surrounding that place. Things like treasure and dead bodies. Loneridge had split and a large chunk had fallen to the foot a long time ago, leaving an open rock face. A Peregrine falcon nest was there and poor wandering people were often victims to angry birdy parents. And then there was Mistyridge, which was where her father had fled.

When the clouds were low, Mistyridge was covered in a thick mist, thus its name. If one were to stand even near the top and look out, they would see nothing. Cyan parked her quad next to an abandoned one, her father's no doubt, and started her climb. There were trails, so it was never very difficult to find the way. But where she guessed 2D had sheltered was a split path. That place was theirs, even though other people knew about it. They had claimed it by name. Her first trip there, she had written the name on a piece of paper and stuck it in the dirt by pencil. When she had returned, a beautiful, glossy, wooden sign with the name carved into it had replaced hers. The path flattened out and revealed the open space. The clouds had settled, there was nothing to see. But 2D was looking off into the mist anyway. Cyan ran up and stood by his side. No words were exchanged, they didn't need to be.

This was Melancholy Hill.

* * *

><p>Noodle's cell phone lay forgotten on the counter. When a few hours had passed since her husband's disappearance that morning, she had tried to call him. Five tries and she was done. When she had heard Cyan take off on one of the quads, she immediately figured she was going to get him back.<p>

"You feel sad," Cyborg stated.

"Very observant." Noodle groaned once she got settled at the table. The two were alone after Murdoc had run off and hid in Stylo, and Russel had gone into town.

After a few moments of silence, Cyborg spoke again. "Why are you sad?"

"Maybe it's the weather." The clouds _had _rolled in very quickly. "Or maybe it's the fact that I know innocent children are dying, and once mine is born, it'll be a target."

A strange look passed on Cyborg's face, almost like...fear. "You feel love for it?"

"Of course! It's my baby, I've been carrying it for almost nine months. If a woman didn't feel love, now that's messed up."

"But...it's not real yet."

"Uh yeah, it is real. Keeps me up at night. Wanna feel?"

"Pardon?"

"Do you have nerves?"

"Yes."

"Then put your hand on my stomach."

Cyborg did so and pulled her hand away immediately. "It moves."

"Now do you believe it's real? It kicks me when I try to sleep." She sighed deeply.

"You are sad."

"I think we already cleared that. I just want Stuart to come back. I want all of this to be over and we can be happy. I don't want our baby to be in danger, or Cyan. I don't give a crap about Murdoc anymore."

Cyborg studied her intensely. "If to make you feel better, I will make a promise to you."

"What?"

"I promise to protect your baby."

Noodle gave her a funny look. "Are you malfunctioning?"

"I truly am not sure."

* * *

><p>The two of them waited out on the lawn by the fire pit. The clouds never lifted, and night was beginning to fall. Russel had returned about an hour ago, finding Noodle in deep conversation with her twin. He left them alone for now. They were drawn to some strange activity in the distance on the plain. It was too dark to tell what was happening.<p>

"Noodle!" a faint, echoing call sounded across the plain. Cyan was running back toward the house, Ferdinand following but howling loudly. "I 'fink 'e's gone mad! Get a doctor!"

"What's happened?"

"I don' know wot 'e's doin'! T'ere's a lewk in 'is eyes!" She reached the top of the hill, panting from exhaustion. " 'E said 'e's sendin' a message ta Sun Moon Stars. I'm scared."

On cue, an small explosion of light danced on the plain. "Is it a bonfire?" Noodle strained her eyes.

"It's an effigy," said Cyborg. "He's burning Sun Moon Stars."

"I'll call a doctor," Noodle turned to go back in the house, but her path was blocked by Murdoc.

"Wot's 2-Dents doin'?"

" 'E's burnin' te Boogieman," said Cyan.

Murdoc began laughing heartily. "Tha's ace, righ' there! Didn' know 'e 'ad ih in 'im. Wot'd 'e use?"

"Oh," Noodle moaned, "they can probably see that for miles. The whole town's going to see it. Wait, who's that down there with him?"

"Ih's Evangelist," said Cyan. "She found 'im a gas mask."

"Oh crap." The people were congregating.

* * *

><p>"Have you gone mad?" Noodle pushed through the crowd toward her husband, Cyborg aiding her by shoving whole groups of people. 2D was pacing in front of the fire, poking it every so often with a steel rod. Indeed, he looked as though he'd gone mad. Or like he'd just ascended from Hell. In the brightness of the fire, they could see his reddened eyes in the dents. He was breathing very deeply and his hair was stuck up. "Put it out!"<p>

"I got ih undeh control," he gestured to a few buckets of water.

"Stuart! You're scaring everyone, specifically me and your daughter!"

"I like 'im like this," said Murdoc.

"No one's talking ta yew!" 2D snapped. "Yer responsible fer awl o' t'is! Meh kids are dyin' 'cause o' yew!" He stood on a flat stone in front of the burning effigy. "Ya 'ear tha'? !" he shouted at the crowd. "I got bastards runnin' 'round, an' ih's 'cause o' t'is man tha' t'ey're dyin'! T'ey're bein' murdered! T'is man ruined meh face, 'e ruined meh life, an' 'e's responsible fer wot 'appened ta Misteh Christofferson! Maybe I wewd've 'ad a normal life! I wewdn't 'ave joined a band, I wewdn't 'ave been undeh te same roof as 'im, I wewdn't 'ave been beaten up fer te stupidest 'fings!"

Cyan could only watch in horror at everything her father was doing. Dancing around the fire like the Devil himself. But his words reached her. _'E wewdn' 'ave joined te band, 'e wewdn' be famous, 'e wewdn' 'ave met Noodle, or Russel, or even...meh mum. _She gasped when the realization hit her. "Da'! If yew 'adn' joined te band, I wewdn' exist! An' Noodle wewd be dead wiffout a place fer 'er crate ta be sent when yew firs' formed!" She broke away from Russel and Noodle to rush up to her father. "Yew wewdn' be married, yew wewdn' 'ave a baby on te way, yew wewdn' be 'ere. Misteh Muhdoc may be responsible fer awl te bad 'fings tha' 'ave 'appened ta yew, but 'e's also te one tha' started te domino effect! We're 'ere, togetheh, because o' 'im!"

"Please stop," Noodle whispered. "I want all of this to stop."

Her pleas were answered when Mister Christofferson pushed through the crowds of terrified people. He tackled 2D to the ground and held him in a headlock. "Stop this nonsense! Whoever yew are," he shouted at Evangelist, "get this fire out!" She complied, lifting the buckets and tossing them on the fire. "Everyone go 'ome!" He stood up, 2D still headlocked, and started toward the house. Noodle, Russel, Cyborg, Ferdinand, and Cyan followed right behind, leaving Evangelist to soak the ashes.

* * *

><p>2D was thrown on the floor as soon as Mister Christofferson made it through the sliding glass door. "Are yew outta yer mind? !"<p>

"Yew shewd be mad at Muhdoc, 'e's ta one tha' shot yew!"

"I realize wot yew've been through, 2D."

"Yew can' even imagine w-" he stopped and stared at Mister Christofferson in awe. "Wot did yew cawl me?"

"He called you 2D," said Noodle as the others stepped into the house.

"Yew...yew know?"

Mister Christofferson crossed his arms. "We're not completely isolated out 'ere. I'm aware o' the Gorillaz. I knew the moment I saw awl o' yew, somethin' 'ad 'appened. I've been lookin' out fer yew this whole time because I realized wot yew awl were tryin' ta do. Make a new start. Most o' the town knows who yew are, but ih wos agreed no one wos ta question yew about ih. We awl respected yew fer wot yew did. Takin' responsibility fer yer kid, leavin' ih awl behind. We accepted yew, an' yew go an' 'ave, wot is easily, the worst mental breakdown I 'ave eveh seen. Buck up! An' yew!" he turned to Murdoc. "Jus' stay outta meh way." He left through the door, descending the hill back to his house.

"This is all your fault," Russel said to Murdoc.

"I'm well aware o' tha'. Fine, if I'm not welcome 'ere, I'll go!" He grabbed Cyan and cruelly yanked her chain off. "Evangelist!" The white robed being stooped to enter the house. "We're leavin'!" She looked at him, then down at Cyan. To everyone's surprise, she planted herself right behind the girl and refused to budge. "Wot the 'ell's wrong with yew? !"

"I believe Evangelist has found herself a new master," Russel smirked.

Murdoc growled. "Fine! Stay fer awl I care!" He threw the pendant and chain on the floor. "Let's go Cyborg!"

The robot girl tensed up. Ordered to obey, but those orders were being over ruled by a deeper feeling. "I cannot."

"Wot? !"

"I promised Noodle..."

"Yew can' leave," Cyan spoke up. "Yew awl know we need 'im," she said when her family gave her shocked looks. " 'E needs ta lead us to te othehs. Please, yew 'ave ta stay."

"Well...I think I'm tired ' riskin' meh neck fer yew guys now. I've 'ad enough stress an' danger-"

"Don' give me tha' crap!" Cyan exploded. "I 'ave a panic disorder an' cewd die o' a 'eart attack at any moment, yet I still willingly went wiff yew ta find meh siblings! I saw meh sister get ripped in two and meh brother stolen away jus' as I reached out ta 'im! Yew cannot make excuses!"

He was slightly astonished by the outburst, but recovered as quickly as he could. "Fine, I'll stay. I got nowhere else ta go anyway. I got stuff fer yew." While he was gone, the others settled down more comfortably. Noodle made some tea for 2D, who was trembling almost violently. " 'Ere's yer kid," Murdoc tossed the folder in 2D's lap, almost spilling the mug. "Primrose Meadows, lives in Eastbourne. Thought yew'd get a kick outta tha'."

Cyan descended from the second floor balcony with a laptop and set it down in front of Noodle. "Eastbourne is where I wos born."

"We know. After wot 'appened in New York, I think a game plan wewd be nice," said Murdoc. "We 'ave ta track 'er an' nab 'er. Don' even introduce yerselves."

"How are you guys supposed to find her in the first place?" asked Russel.

"I think I know," said Noodle, turning the laptop so they could see.

**Tusspot Fairgrounds.**

**Children half off!**

"We did tha' every year," 2D explained. "Way ta go Da'!"

"So yew know te layout?" asked Cyan.

"Spent a lot o' time t'ere."

"Great!" She ran off and returned with two tubs, one of Legos, the other Lincoln Logs. "Build te fairgrounds! We can plan strategies!"

* * *

><p>Noodle wearily climbed the staircase. It was almost midnight, but the others were still going strong. She figured she could get a little sleep at least. Something was posted on her and 2D's bedroom door. A note stuck by a tack. She took it down.<p>

**Little ones of different paths**

**And yet none shall escape his wrath.**

**Familiar face we haven't met**

**We cannot hide, the red-eyed threat.**

**Annalise, Aishling, and Primrose**

**Children, know the fate we chose.**

**Charlie, Thomas, Gabe, and Joel**

**Lead us home, Dad, save our souls.**

**Never give up! The Dream must be realized!**

_The Dream? _she wondered.

* * *

><p>a little bit of Napoleon Dynamite in the beginning. Cyan throwing an orange at Murdoc's car. It actually was a grapefruit in the movie<p> 


	25. The Tusspot Fairgrounds

The Tusspot Fairgrounds

I am the voice of Dragons past

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>"Forget-me-not!"<p>

Primrose gasped and almost dropped her books at the loud exclamation from behind her. Forget-me-not, that was her nickname, dubbed such by her best friend Minnie. Because of her blue hair. She used to be picked on because of it, but then Minnie, the toughest girl in class, started standing up for her, and that was the end of it. Primrose herself was the complete opposite. She was shy, weak, and clumsy. She often felt that her arms and legs were too long for her stout but thin body.

"Yew goin' ta the fairgrounds? Kids get in 'alf-price!" Minnie basically tried to tackle her to the ground.

"I-I don' know-"

"Oh come on! Meh mum will take us, an' the othehs! Come with us!" She began tugging at the blue haired girl's arm, causing her to scramble for a hold on her books. "If yew come with us, I'll tell yew a secret."

"A secret?"

"Somebody likes yew," she said in a sing-song voice.

"Th-they do?" she blushed, hiding her face, accidently knocking her purple glasses askew. "Who?"

"If ya come, I'll tell ya."

"Now tha's not fair, Minnie!" she whined.

"Go 'ome, change, an' come ta my 'ouse, we'll be waitin'!" She dropped her skateboard on the sidewalk and jumped on. "Buh-bye!"

Primrose hugged her books tightly to her chest and continued walking. Her friendship with Minnie had really helped her come out of her shell, but there was still a long way to go. The original years of torment were still fresh in her mind. Little kids could be so cruel. Pulling at her ribbons, poking her too hard, laughing, everything they could just to make her cry. And it would have stayed that way if Minnie hadn't picked up some soft-material building blocks and started throwing them all over the room. She got a big time-out for that. But the result was their six year friendship. Other people now opened up to Primrose, and those that didn't were held at bay. Primrose's friends were Minnie's friends, a protective group. You don't mess with Minnie's friends.

"I'm 'ome!" she dropped her books and backpack on the little bench near the door. "Mummy! Dad! Yew 'ere? !"

"Garage, love!" called a voice.

She wandered over to the open door that led into the garage. Her father was wiping an oil stain off his face. He was still in his mechanic uniform, decorated with various stains and spills. He claimed to have a story for each, but there were so many, she doubted he remembered each and every one. "Minnie wonts me ta go with 'er an' the othehs ta the fairgrounds."

"Firs' question: Do yew wont ta go?"

"I guess I do."

"Alright then," he set back to on the car.

"Aren' there anymore questions?"

"Nope," he grinned at her.

Primrose returned inside the house, grabbing a juice box from the fridge and running upstairs to change. They had a fairly large house, one she suspected that was meant for a large family. She didn't know if her parents had just wanted a big house, or if they actually had planned to have a large family. She didn't need to hear her mother's coos anymore about how 'we tried so 'ard an' fer so long, then we got yew, our li'le miracle'. But her feelings about having siblings were a little torn. _Wot if they weren' nice? But wot if I cewd teach 'em stuff? Wot if they take meh things? But wot if I cewd show 'em 'ow ta use 'em?_

Out of her school clothes into comfort clothes, she descended back down and into the sitting room. Her violin was set on a chair. She remembered she needed new strings, but also realized her forgetful mind wouldn't be able to remember. _If I put ih in ihs case an' take ih with me, then I'll remember! _Thus, she packed it away and slung the case on her back, the strap crossing her shoulder and hip. "Goodbye Daddy!" she called as she rushed out the door.

"Bye love!"

The Tusspot fairgrounds were really fun. Even teenagers loved to go there. There was a rumor that was always circling around that place, springing from the Switchback ride, where someone had carved '2D was here' on the control box. Apparently, this '2D' was the owner's son, and also went by the name of 'King of the Carousel'. She wasn't sure why he was famous, but it had to be something impressive for people to always talk about him. She knew one thing, he had strangely colored hair. Nobody told her what color, but couldn't help feeling a kinship. Her own blue hair was pulled into two short pigtails and stuffed under a hat. _'E probably wore 'is with pride._

* * *

><p>"See ya, mum!" Minnie leapt from her seat, the rest of the kids piling out to the front gate. She quickly grabbed Primrose's hand, knowing she got nervous around large crowds. "Why'd ya bring yer violin?"<p>

"So I wewdn' fo'get. Okay, I came, now tell me!"

Minnie giggled before leaning in to whisper in her ear, "Todd likes yew. Let's go people!"

The fairgrounds were alive that night. People milling about, bright lights flashing from the rides, excitement coursing through the air. "I wondeh if they'll 'ave fireworks?" said Primrose.

"Look," Minnie was talking with the others, "if we're gonna split up, we gotta 'ave a meetin' place an' time. Go ta the bumper cars at six. Break!" On cue, they all scattered. "Don' worry," she said to Primrose, "I won' leave ya alone."

"An' fer tha', I thank yew."

"C'mon, let's go!"

* * *

><p>"T'is time! T'is time, we'll succeed!" Cyan slipped her flick knife between a fold on her wrist guard and pocketed her slingshot and a handful of ammo. "I'll kill 'im if I 'ave ta!"<p>

"Tha's a good thought ta keep," Murdoc said as he loaded bullets into his handgun. "Faceache, we're followin' yew in."

2D shoved his hat further over his hair. "No messin' 'round. We go in, get Primrose, an' get out."

The three set out toward the gate, easily blending in with the crowd that pass through admissions. "Split up, keep phones on," said Cyan before they departed. _Where are yew gonna strike?_

2D slipped through crowds easily, knowing the entire layout of the grounds. For all he knew, the set they built back home was still standing. Not the ferris wheel though. After Murdoc had stepped on a Lego, he kicked it down. Personally, 2D couldn't even remember buying Legos for Cyan. _We'll 'ave ta put 'em away when te baby arrives. _He stopped. What if the baby came while he was gone? _Why didn' I eveh 'fink o' tha'? Noodle cewd go inta labor an' I cewd be on a different continent! Why am I so stupid?_

He resituated his jacket to hide his gun better. The last thing he needed was a kid freaking out and drawing attention to him. After a little glance around, he realized he was standing next to the Switchback ride. _Memories... _He peeked through the window of the control box, grinning when he saw his carving job, most likely done with the very knife that Cyan was carrying with her, the one that had shattered the Boogieman's eye and put the scar on her shoulder. _Tha' knife really get's around. _"I'm 2D, ohhh. Won't you buy me? Ohhh. Piano chord, ohhh. Dictionary, ohhh," he sang softly as he tramped off.

Murdoc growled continually at any child that got too close to him. Several times some older kids snapped at him for scaring the young ones, but he then told them to shove something very obscene down their throats. He never liked children, even when he was one. Noodle had been cool though, he could deal with her. _Awl tha' I know is tha' when tha' freakin' baby shows up, I'm gettin' outta 'ere. _Cyan was okay too, she had spunk. And she basically took care of herself.

_I guess I do kinda favor 'er. Maybe tha's why I saved 'er back in New York. _He could recall a time when Noodle had been in danger and he had willingly thrown himself into peril to save her. It was back when she was ten. They were at the park, a place much better suited for her to play in than back at the studios. 2D was trying to explain the rules of football to her, pointing back and forth between their makeshift goals, but she just wanted the ball. Finally, after realizing she didn't even care about the rules, he took his foot off the ball and let her have it, choosing to settle on the fountain edge.

Murdoc then sauntered over and shoved him in, laughing as the poor singer floundered around in the water. He then noticed Noodle was kicking the ball harder and harder, finally pushing it into the road. He looked around for Russel, but couldn't see the man. So when the girl raced into the street to get the ball back, he bolted across the grass and snagged her right before a distracted driver made her his new hood ornament. _But did I do tha' 'cause I still needed 'er fer guitar, or did I actually wont ta save 'er? _He couldn't even remember.

"Hey!" entire crowds of people complained when all the lights cut out. It was still light out, so they could see, but with the blackout, the rides came to a halt.

_Alright Sun Moon Stars, 'ere ya come._

"Look at tha'!" someone yelled, pointing at a nearby power line. At the top stood a familiar cloaked being, sparks flying from wires beneath him. Murdoc pulled out his gun and took his perfect aim.

" 'E's gotta gun!" someone screamed.

When the gunfire split the air, everyone dropped low and started running. Murdoc pocketed the handgun and blended right in with the people. He knew the gun missed, now he had to run. He slipped behind a soda machine.

Primrose panicked when the cry rang out. Someone had a gun. In the fear of the moment, she had become separated from Minnie. Now she was alone, in a dark place, while a person somewhere had a gun. She felt like crying.

"Primrose!"

* * *

><p>2D surveyed the grounds from the roof of a kiosk. When the lights cut out, he knew what was coming. When the gunfire sounded, he realized the situation had turned desperate. And his limited sight wasn't helping in searching out either of his daughters through the panicking crowds.<p>

"Get down from t'ere!" commanded a gruff voice.

Startled that someone was keeping his head on in this hysteria, 2D jumped down and landed beside him. An elder man with gray hair and deep blue eyes. He wore a mechanic's belt with varying tools in it. This man was very familiar. "Da'?"

David Pot blinked in confusion. "Stuart? Is tha' yew?"

"Is me Da'! Ih's Stuart, yer son!"

"Stuart! I thought yew were dead! T'ey said Plastic Beach wos gone but yew an' te othehs were missin' an'...oh, yew 'ave no idea 'ow 'appy yer mother will be! I knew yew were alive!"

"Reunion lateh Da', righ' now I need ta find meh kids."

David looked horrified. "Kids? So ih's true wot's been 'appenin'? T'ose two boys, an' te girl in London? Now t'ey're sayin' another wos found outside a police station in New York. Stuart, please tell me ih's not true. Please tell me yer not killin' 'em."

"O' course ih's not true! Te real murderer is 'ere, righ' now! If I don' find Cyan an' Primrose, 'e'll get 'em!"

* * *

><p>Primrose pushed through the crowd. "Minnie? !"<p>

"Primrose!"

"I'm comin'!" She was suddenly shoved out into a clear row between stands and rides. A dark cloaked figure was standing at the other end. The poor girl shuddered, sensing bad things in her presence. " 'Ello?"

"Primrose!" came the call again, but it wasn't Minnie. It was coming from the dark being.

Terrified, Primrose stumbled back and fell, her violin case causing pain to shoot up her spine. "Go away!" The figure started walking toward her. "Leave me alone!"

* * *

><p>"O' awl the god damn-" Murdoc was wedged between a concrete wall and the soda machine, doing his best to tip it over. He was hiding in the same row that the Boogieman was now walking down to Primrose. With a little timing, he could tip the machine and have it come crashing down on the specter. Only problem was, he wasn't strong enough. <em>Faceache, where are yew? <em>He peeked around the machine, seeing the Boogieman was almost in range. _Shit..._

He tensed from a clunking sound on top of the machine. Cyan scaled it, burying the knife in the metal top, and swung down into the crevice to aid him. The Boogieman was attracted to the sudden movement and halted, but it was too late to run. The machine tipped over and came crashing down on him. Unfortunately, Cyan's fingers were still gripping the knife. So when it fell forward, she was yanked forward and whipped over the machine. Amazingly, she flew about ten feet before rolling and coming up on her feet.

"Wot are yew? A ninja?" Murdoc stepped over the shattered remains of his hiding place. He kicked around some of the glass, smirking. "Tha' got 'im." He glanced over at Primrose, who looked absolutely horrified. "Let's go, runt." Cyan tugged the knife out of the metal before rushing down to aid her sister.

" 'E-'e-'e's n-not dead!" the girl was screaming.

The two turned around to see the dark shadow was leaking from the bottom of the machine. It twisted and began to materialize into its former shape. "Crap, run fer ih!" Murdoc grabbed Cyan by the shoulder and took off, reaching down and yanking Primrose to her feet so she could follow.

"Muhdoc!" 2D came running from behind the ferris wheel, his father following him as best he could. " 'Urry! Let's go!" Without warning, he scooped Primrose into his arms and took off back for Stylo.

"Run Stuart!" David called after his son. "Ih's almost solid again!"

"Jeez, ih tha' yer dad? 'E got old!" Murdoc joked.

"Yer one ta talk!"

"Let me go!" Primrose cried. "I wanna go 'ome! I wont meh mum an' dad! I'm scared!"

"Shut ih!" Murdoc shouted. He threw open the back door to Stylo so Cyan could climb in and 2D could set Primrose inside. Once that was taken care of, the two men climbed in front and the car was soon speeding off down the road. "We actually succeeded with one! Shots t'night!"

"Are yew okay?" Cyan whispered to her crying sister.

"No! I don' know who any o' yew are! Am I bein' kidnapped?"

"Yes," said 2D, "but fer awl te righ' reasons, love. Ya see," he turned around in his seat, "I'm yer da'."

"No yer not!" she sobbed. "Meh daddy's back 'ome! I wanna go 'ome!"

"Wow, she is yer kid!" said Murdoc. "She whines as much as yew do."

"Lewk," Cyan reached down for the file, "we 'ave proof. Yer meh sister. See? Yew were abandoned on yer parent's doorstep by yer birth mum."

"Meh...meh birth mum? Wot...wot is this? Yew mean...she didn' wont me?"

Cyan began flipping through pages. "Accordin' ta t'is, yer parents kept tryin' fer a real long time ta 'ave a baby, but t'ey jus' cewdn' do ih. So...outta awl te doorsteps ta drop yew off at, yer birth mum puts yew on te one o' a poor couple who wonted a baby more t'an anyfin'. Maybe she jus' cewdn' care fer yew properly, but she went through te trouble o' findin' yew te perfect 'ome."

"I guess she really did love yew," said 2D.

"Why...why am I 'ere?" Primrose asked.

"Ta keep yew safe. We're goin' ta a wonderful place. Yew'll be 'appy, an' maybe someday, ih'll safe enough fer yew ta go back."

Primrose sniffled sadly. "Can I at least cawl my parents?" 2D passed his phone back to her. " 'Ello? Mummy? I...I'm not comin' 'ome. No-no, Minnie's not 'avin' a sleepover. I..." she inhaled slowly, "why didn' yew tell me I wasn' yer kid?" Cyan twiddled her fingers, uncomfortable to be listening to this conversation. "Meh real dad is right 'ere! Why didn' yew tell me?"

"Biological da'," Cyan whispered.

"Yew could've at least told me the truth. No, I'm not...well, I guess I am bein' kidnapped."

At that moment, Cyan snagged the phone out of her sister's hand. "Meh name is Cyan, I'm Primrose's sister."

"I don' know wot yer playin' at, but yew better return my daughter!" screamed the voice on the other end.

"Please ma'am, yer daughter is in grave dangeh. We only took 'er ta protect 'er! Please undehstand!"

"I understand kidnappin' when I 'ear ih! I'm callin' te cops!"

"Please," Cyan whispered, her eyes brimming with tears, "yew 'ave no idea wot chases us. Yew 'ave no idea why we must run an' 'ide. An' yew neveh will undehstand, I only 'ope yew trust wot yew 'ear from us, not te news." She offered the phone back to her sister, but Primrose shook her head, so Cyan shut it.

It rung again only once, but they let it go to voice-mail.


	26. The Eighth Soul

The Eighth Soul

I am the voice of Dragons past

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>"Ih's not so bad around 'ere," Cyan reassured her incredibly timid sister. "Sure, Misteh Muhdoc is a creeper, but 'e'll leave ya alone if ya start cryin' or whinin'. Noodle and Russel will come ta yer aid. Cyborg won' botheh yew."<p>

Primrose only nodded. Her introduction into the house had been carefully planned out. Her extremely timid nature, coupled with her awkwardness and clumsiness, was taken into immediate consideration. No one was to yell at her, cuss, or aim a gun. She glued herself to Cyan immediately upon arrival, and Noodle to a lesser extent because Cyborg was usually in her presence. She shied away from Murdoc, and also at Russel until she found out he was a teddy bear. 2D had her more confused than afraid.

"I see yew 'ave yer violin," Cyan dipped her cookie in her glass of milk, trying her best to make small talk. They were seated at the table, late morning, still in their pajamas. "Yew play?"

"Yeah...wot do yew do?"

"Banjo, melodica, bit o' keyboard, an' I made a bodhrán, but I don' really play ih much. I did tha' mostly 'cause I'm Irish."

"Yer Irish? Yew awl about shamrocks an' stuff then?"

"I con speak Irish."

"Yew can?"

"Meh firs' language. Meh mum raised me on ih. Let's see," she looked around the kitchen a bit. "Is é an sorn trí thine." (Translation: 'The stove is on fire'). She cupped her hands around her mouth. "Who's doin' flambe? ! Yer burnin' te kitchen!"

There were multiple thudding sounds before 2D, clad only in a pair of jeans he tried desperately to keep hitched up his waist, came stumbling down the stairs from the second floor balcony and into the kitchen. He let go of his jeans to turn off the burner. They slipped down, causing him to shout and pulled them back up. After all chaos was under control, he picked up the empty, cold pan, used a spatula to scoop something off the stove, and dropped it in the sink. "I lit te wrong burner an' set te paper on fire."

"Díomá," said Cyan, shaking her head. (Translation: 'Disappointment'). "Yew fried our paper?"

"Not on purpose." He yelped and turned on the water spout when swirls of smoke started rising from the sink.

"Stop yellin'!" Murdoc called from his place on the couch. "Ih's too early!"

"Ih's almost ten," Cyan argued back. The man only grumbled in response, pulling his blanket over his head. "Yer sleepin' on our couch, we continue our day like always, yew deal wiff ih."

"Continue our day like always," repeated Noodle as she descended the stairs, tightly gripping the banister, "that is...organized chaos. We only manage to get through the day and onto the next. Get up, Murdoc."

" 'Ey! I'm tired! Yew didn' 'ave ta tip a soda machine!"

"Listen you," she growled, "there's one kid left, and you're going to make sure Cyan isn't harmed in any way when you go for them. And remember, the phrase 'At least she landed on her feet', doesn't make up for it." She noticed the girls at the table. "Cookies for breakfast Cyan, really?"

"Russel gave 'em ta us!" she immediately defended their actions. " 'E said we cewd."

Noodle looked at her through playfully narrowed eyes. "Alright, but change out of your jammies. And on that note, I think I might change back into mine."

"Why?" asked Primrose.

"I'm exhausted. This kid's always kicking me when I try to sleep. Which why I'm going to take a nap." She stood there for a moment before returning to the stairs, groaning as she climbed each step.

"She ain' lookin' too fresh." Murdoc finally rose from the couch and walked into the kitchen with the three blunettes. "Tha' kid's due, ain' ih?"

"Now tha' I 'fink about ih...yer right. She is due, no chance o' premature birth now," said 2D.

"Ní féidir leis an fear a ghlacadh fógra fiú an bhean ag seoladh a leanbh. Ach ní féidir liom é a choimeád ina choinne, tá muid a bheith gnóthach. (Translation: 'The man cannot take notice of the woman carrying his own child. But I cannot hold it against him, we've been busy'.)

"Wot are yew sayin'?" Murdoc gave Cyan a glare. "Wot's tha' gobbledegook?"

"Ní gá dom a insint duit. Teanga a fhoghlaim (Translation: 'I don't need to tell you anything. Learn a language '). She stuck her tongue out at him for good measure.

"Yew li'le brat, tell me wot ya said or I'll bash yer skull in! Ih wos about me, wasn' ih?"

"B'fhéidir, b'fhéidir nach. (Translation: 'Maybe, maybe not.')

"If I hear anythin' 'bout someone's skull gettin' bashed in, someone's tongue's gettin' ripped out!" Russel called from the basement stairs.

"Fuair tú i dtrioblóid!" Cyan taunted. "Sin den scoth." (Translation: 'You got in trouble. That's excellent'. Basically, she's saying 'that's ace'.)

* * *

><p>Noodle stretched out on her and 2D's bed. The nights had been very rough lately. The baby had been moving a lot more, shifting around and striking against her organs. And even when it wasn't moving, she couldn't sleep. She felt very uneasy most nights, a feeling that forced her to get up and pace around. Now that he was home, 2D often awakened and questioned her, but she would always reassure him just so that he would go back to sleep.<p>

_What is wrong with me?_

The news had been very unexpected, especially for her. True, they weren't using any protection that night, but still. The thought of a baby growing inside her once filled her mind with certain thoughts of wonder and the miracle of life, but now it made her fearful of the inevitable. This baby had to come _out. _And, unless she wanted another wicked, nasty scar, there was only one way that was going to happen.

"You are troubled?"

Noodle almost screamed when she heard her own voice, though from someone else's throat. "Just a little."

Cyborg was leaning on the door, her head tilted slightly to the side. "Why?"

"Because this baby's coming soon."

"This is a reason to be sad?"

"Not sad, I'm just a little nervous."

They both were quiet for a little while, listening to the sounds of the others getting ready for the day downstairs. "I have been reviewing articles," said Cyborg.

"About what?"

"Babies. They are...completely defenseless at birth."

"They depend completely on their mothers. A baby can't do anything for itself until its older. But we have all the supplies and the nursery is ready."

Cyborg started wringing her hands. The look on her face suggested she had a lot more to ask, but she stayed silent. "I will let you rest," she got up and left briskly.

_What is with her? _Noodle wondered. _Her personality has changed so dramatically since coming here. _She shifted around a little, trying to find a comfortable resting position. She usually laid on her stomach to sleep. She missed it terribly. There was no movement from inside her stomach. _Maybe it's asleep as well. _They never wanted to know what gender. It was meant to be a surprise for everyone. _Boy or a girl? What names? We haven't thought of any..._she drifted off to sleep with those thoughts in mind.

_Japanese name? That wouldn't be fair, I don't even have one. I don't even know what other countries Stuart's ancestors hail from. Just an English name? But who wants to be traditional?_

She was jerked awake by a wet sensation. "What?" Her pants were soaked, as were the bed sheets. It didn't smell like urine though. She looked to the nightstand for a cup. Maybe she had knocked it over. But nothing was there. She even checked the floor. It wasn't down there either, is there even was one. _Did I wet the bed? _She struggled to her feet. It was quiet downstairs, so some time had passed.

"Hello?" she called out.

No one answered back. _Did they go off and leave me? _That thought had her steamed. The others didn't even all get along. Of course, there was the chance that they had left Murdoc behind. Maybe they took Cyborg with them. She started out on the second floor balcony. The television was off, the chairs and beanbag were empty. She leaned over the banister. Murdoc wasn't crashed on the couch anymore. The sitting room was empty, no smells came from the kitchen below, the laundry room was silent, as was the basement.

Suddenly, a gut-wrenching pain tore into her. She gasped and collapsed to her knees, knuckles turned white from gripping the banister. She breathed evenly and deeply, doing her best to wait it out. When it faded, she heaved herself up and started for the stairs. _I know what's happening. _The whole ground floor was empty of occupants. _Where are you guys? I need help! _

She slid the glass door open and sighed in relief. They were all in the yard. Russel was reading a book on the hammock, the fabric being stretched horribly, Cyan was playing on her rope swing, Murdoc was asleep in a chair, and Primrose, 2D, and Cyborg were in the treehouse. 2D was in the process of helping his daughter tune the new strings on her instrument. Every once in a while, he'd glance over at Murdoc and burst out laughing, causing the others to laugh as well, except Cyborg, who seemed confused about what was so funny.

"Noodle?" Cyan dug her feet into the ground to stop swinging. "Wot's wrong?"

"I think the baby's coming."

2D shot up and smashed his head into a tree branch. He looked a little dazed but continued down the ladder. "Start Stylo! Get te keys!" he called to no one in particular.

Murdoc stirred and looked around. "Wot's goin' on?" Noodle now saw the reason the others had been laughing. Someone had drawn a Sharpie mustache on him.

"I'll start Stylo! Girls," 2D called to his daughters, "get a bag thrown togetheh. Noodle, stay calm!"

"I am calm," she argued. "You should try it."

He didn't answer. The last look of her husband she had was him disappearing into the house. Primrose and Cyan followed him, twin looks of eagerness and fear on their faces. Russel rose to the occasion, calmly escorting her to the front of the house.

"This is excitin', isn' it?"

"Of course Russel."

2D was trying to start up the car, viciously banging his hands on the wheel. "Start, damn yew!"

"Faceache! Wot are yew doin'? !" Murdoc arrived inside the run.

"Tryin' ta get yer stupid car ta start!"

Murdoc lifted the hood, a cloud of smoke erupting into his face. "Great. Jus' great. All yew eveh did wos break my stuff!"

"An' awl yew eveh did wos break meh face!"

"Boys, can we please argue about this some other time, some other a-woman-is-not-in-labor time?" She hissed as another contraction struck her. She grasped Russel's hand, waiting for the pain to subside.

"Oh, is _that_ wot's 'appenin'? ! Get outta there!" he yelled at 2D. "Yew can' take meh car! I don' want baby juices on meh seats!"

"Murdoc, I will pull your spine out, I swear!" Noodle snapped. Her fear suddenly overtook her and her knees buckled again. Two arms wrapped around her from behind and pulled her back up. Cyborg had caught her. "Thanks. Stuart, just get Mako, Stylo's not working and I'm going to punch Murdoc when this is all done."

The girls tumbled out of the house, carrying an overstuffed bag between them. Primrose's glasses were knocked askew and Cyan only had one barrette in her longer locks. They threw the bag in the trunk. "An' we're off!" said Cyan.

2D turned to Noodle. "We con only fit so many people in te car. Yew choose who yew wont ta go wiff yew."

"You, of course. And, for now...Cyborg."

"What?" Russel, Cyan, and 2D said together.

"I'm the pregnant woman here, and I want her with me!"

"Okay, okay," 2D twiddled his fingers, slightly nervous over her outburst. "Ih's yer decision, love."

"I'm sorry, it hurts badly."

"An' 'tis is only ta beginning," Cyan reminded her.

"Thank you," she growled sarcastically. She lowered herself down into the passenger seat, gesturing for Cyborg to climb into the backseat. Cyan and Russel looked almost hurt that she had chosen the robot over them, but didn't speak out against her decision. They waved goodbye as the car left, leaving them behind.

"I feel a little betrayed, ya know?" said Russel. "I helped raise that girl an' she's gone an' chosen her robot clone over me! That's jus' messed up."

"I wondeh if Da's goin' in ta delivery room wiff 'er?" Cyan said to her sister.

"I gettin' outta 'ere!" Murdoc announced before Primrose could respond.

"Wot do yew mean?"

"I vowed ta mehself I'd shove off before tha' ankle biter showed up."

"Yer not goin' anywhere! Fix Stylo, now!"

Murdoc growled deeply. "Yew don' tell me wot ta do, runt."

"But I can tell ya what to do," Russel threatened, slowly stepping forward to appear more menacing. "You run off now, an' I'm not gonna think twice 'bout huntin' you down an' turnin' you inta my next project. Either fix the car, or get ready to start walkin'."

The Satanist glared back, trying to stare him down. But it was obvious who was the victor. "Fine," he spat. "But Stylo's not goin' nowhere. Need an actual mechanic."

"But if yew knew tha' ih wasn' goin' ta work, why did yew say yew were leavin'?" Primrose asked in a quiet voice. "yew cewd've gotten ih fixed, then left." A silent wind blew by.

"Shut up," Murdoc mumbled.

* * *

><p>The looks from the hospital occupants were forced out of mind as 2D escorted Noodle inside. The stares were all for Cyborg, Noodle's almost identical twin, following in a stiff leg march. People gawked and whispered among themselves. They didn't even notice Noodle's current condition.<p>

"Stuart Pot!" a nurse called, recognizing him from the burns she had had to treat from their first Valleyridge Bonfire Night. "Who is tha' ?"

"That's my sister!" Noodle shouted. "Please help us!"

"Oh o-okay, I'll get a room rung up. Jus'...stay calm."

2D started screaming when Noodle gripped his hand and squeezed as hard as she could. Now _that _got everyone's attention. He let go of her once his hand was free, whimpering as he bent his fingers. She clutched onto the lobby couch, breathing deeply from the contraction. Cyborg planted herself closely to her twin. The nurse quickly returned with a wheelchair and a fair of fellow nurses.

"So yer jus' in the beginning stages of labor?" asked a nurse.

"Beginning? It hurts like hell! And I know Hell! You!" she snapped her fingers at Cyborg, "walk with us."

* * *

><p>"I'm not ridin' in the back!"<p>

Mister Christofferson was kind enough to load them into his truck, but now he had to resituate to accommodate his wife and son, who both jumped aboard at once. Russel moved to the bed of the truck, dragging Murdoc with him. Cyan, Primrose, and Arthur climbed into the cab, having to sit in the back with an awkward silence. This had been the first time Arthur had seen Cyan in a while, and he didn't even know who this girl with blue hair and glasses was.

"Am I missin' somethin' 'ere?" asked Poppy Norsby as they drove.

"T'is is meh sisteh, Primrose Meadows."

"Yew 'ave a sister?" said Arthur.

"I 'ad two." She crossed her arms and refused to speak anymore of the matter. A look of pain crept onto her face.

"Isn' this excitin'?" said Poppy Norsby, trying to make small talk. "In a few hours, yew'll 'ave a baby brother or sister! Both o' yew...I guess."

When the truck pulled up to the hospital, Cyan almost shoved Arthur out onto the pavement to get inside. Primrose, a little timid about being here, she'd never been out of their property, huddled against the truck. She only moved when Russel jumped out of the bed, the truck noticeably bouncing upward, and picked her up. She didn't struggle. Although her stay had only been for a few days, she had warmed up to Russel, especially after Cyan's choice words of describing him as "A great, big, plush teddy bear who's only there to make you feel happy and loved." She had definitely not seen that description coming.

Murdoc swung himself down onto the pavement and followed Russel into the building, trying to swipe Arthur's legs out from under him as he passed. The boy was shocked to say the least. Sure, when Cyan's family had shown up, they definitely had not been normal. He had noted that and learned to love it anyway. He had an uncle, aunt, and cousins in Montana, so there were some American culture things he had to deal with sometimes, but it was always interesting. Abnormal people just made the world more interesting. But Murdoc didn't seem abnormal to him, he just seemed...evil. And he had a Sharpie mustache.

* * *

><p>Noodle, clad in the hospital gown, was pacing around her delivery room. The nurses had suggested this was a good thing to do. Since this was her first baby, it would take longer for her to dilate enough to pass the baby. Cyborg had backed this up with her obtained knowledge when they had left to get a doctor, then proceeded to ramble on everything that could go wrong before 2D passed a tissue box to Noodle and she shoved it into the robot's mouth.<p>

"Owww," Noodle whimpered, gripping the bed rail.

"Yew wont a magazine, love?" asked 2D, not knowing what to do in this situation at all. He vaguely remembered being at the hospital for a cousin's baby when he was little, but he was in the waiting room. He remembered the screams though, oh how he remembered the screams.

"No. I don't even think God descending from the heavens will distract me from this." She settled onto the bed, wiping a few droplets of sweat from her brow. "I'm scared Stuart, what if something does happen?" she glanced over at Cyborg when she said this.

"Nuffin's gonna 'appen. In a few 'ours, we'll 'ave a baby." He didn't sit on the bed with her, but reached out and took her hand. "Remember when yew told awl o' us? Cyan got really upset, remember? She thought we were tryin' ta replace 'er."

"And she tried to live in the Hills so she could 'find herself' and try to fix everything that was wrong with her."

"Yeah." He stared off out the window in thought. "I 'fink tha's when she became a practicin' Buddhist. She startin' meditatin' with incense sticks an' stones an' stuff."

"It did even her out. The doctors said her panic attacks, when she had them, were becoming less severe. In the end, I guess she did better herself." Her hand shot out and clenched onto his arm when another contraction came. When she pulled away, she left a large, purple bruise on his forearm. He only gave her a painful smile at the act.

They turned their attention to the door when the doctor walked through. "Yew gotta party waitin' out there. Oh!" she was startled by Cyborg. "Oh dear, didn' see yew. They'll be bringin' the rest o' the equipment in soon, so whoever's stayin' needs to sterilize an' suit up. We don' want any diseases reachin' this baby."

Noodle looked like she was about to cry.

* * *

><p>Everyone camped down in the waiting room, doing the only thing they could, wait. Murdoc was pouting over having to wait here, claiming he "could be doing much better things" at the moment. Russel told him to count his "remaining teeth" and that was the end of it. They were joined by the Norsbys as well. They were always the closest neighbors, literally in the fact of physically and emotionally.<p>

"Oh my God, we fergot ta feed Ferdinand!" Cyan exclaimed.

Mister Christofferson rose to the occasion. "I'll drive back an' do tha'. Does anyone need anythin' else?"

"I 'fink Da' left 'is phone on te counter, cewd yew nab ih fer us?"

"O' course." He left them to do so.

The delivery room doors burst open to reveal a nurse. She turned to Cyan and Primrose and gestured for them to follow. "You're needed."

"I don' wanna go in there!" Primrose whined, her entire body seizing up.

"Do ih fer Noodle," said Cyan. After a moment's hesitation, her sister jumped up and they followed the nurse in together. The other nurses were at the ready in the birthing room, warming tray and towels ready to receive the child. Cyborg was by Noodle's side, wiping her brow of sweat. 2D was on her other side, but he was slumped over the railing of the bed, lifting his head up every little while. But before Cyan could call out to him, he collapsed and slipped to the floor.

"Oh dear," said a nurse. "I gotta downed 'usband! Somebody?"

"Stuart?" Noodle tried to lift herself to see where he had gone, but fell back to the bed, yelling in pain.

The looks on everyone's faces was priceless as the doors opened once more, this time to reveal Cyan and Primrose dragging their unconscious father out by his legs. They abandoned him on the floor and rushed back inside.

"Get ready!" said the doctor over her shoulder to the nurses.

"Almost t'ere Noodle!" Cyan slid to a halt in her father's former place and gripped the woman's hand. "Almost time!"

* * *

><p>2D rocked back and forth on the bench. He was ashamed of himself for missing the birth of his child, the first birth he would've gotten to be there for. He was slumped, arms crossed over his chest like a pouting child.<p>

"Don' beat yourself up," Russel assured him. "I'm sure it happens to a lot o' new fathers."

"But I wonted ta be t'ere fer ih!"

"Don' see why," Murdoc murmured. "Disgusting."

"Ih's a boy!" Cyan burst through the door, happily bouncing around the waiting room. "Ih's a boy! Ih's a boy! Ih's a boy! Ih's a-" Russel caught her as she ran by.

"We get it, it's a boy," he said, a smile on his face. "What about baby-girl?"

"Restin'. If we go ta te nursery we'll get ta see 'im!" The Norsbys stood up to lead the way to the nursery, since they knew where it was.

Primrose came through the door. "Cyborg won' budge."

"Jus' leave 'er." Cyan raced off after the three departing figures.

2D stood beside his daughters, peering happily into the glass window of the nursery. There were a few newborn occupants, clad in pinks and blues, but, and he didn't know how he could tell, his son wasn't there. Maybe it was a zen bond, like the one he with Noodle. But he suspected Noodle would be the one to possess this new bond with the child.

_I wosn' even t'ere at 'is birth._

Suddenly, a nurse walked in, a small blue bundle held tight in her arms. She settled the bundle into one of the clear, rolling cribs. After re-positioning the blanket, she looked up to them at the window and waved merrily. She rolled the crib up to them so they could see the occupant. Clad in traditional blue hospital infant clothing, and he was asleep, so there wasn't much detail to set him apart from the other babies in there. A few dark hairs were poking out from under his blue cap.

"Tha's 'im," Cyan looped her arm around her sister's shoulder, who flinched before settling, "tha's our brother."

" 'Alf-brother," Primrose whispered.

"Do I 'fink o' _yew_ any less, jus' 'cause we don' share a mother too?"

"He kinda looks like ya," said Russel. "In the face, ya know? What's the name?"

2D looked thoughtful. "We neveh got tha' far. Didn' decide on one."

Cyan crept over to Mister Christofferson and tugged at his sleeve. "Da's phone?" He handed it over, but she pocketed it instead of passing it on. No one noticed anyway, the nurse had come back and picked up the baby. She gestured toward the inside door of the nursery and mouthed "She's awake." Then she left.

"Let's go!" 2D swooped down to pick up Cyan, then tried to get Primrose as well, but ultimately failed and just chose to continue with one daughter. The group eagerly followed him back to the room. Noodle was awake, but she looked haggard. Her hair was stuck up all over the place, her skin was pale, and her eyes were heavily lidded. But she smiled at them as they came in. "Yew feelin' alrigh', love?"

"She's fine," Cyborg replied, sitting beside Noodle's bed.

" 'Ere we go," the nurse walked in and deposited the bundle into Noodle's arms. "Jus' ring if ya need anythin'." She left them alone.

There was an immediate crowding around the bed, 2D bumping into Russel's jaw, and Primrose getting stepped on by Mister Christofferson in the process. The others backed off so 2D could settle beside his wife to see the child. The baby's eyes were still shut tight, but 2D lifted the little cap off to reveal a small mop of dark hair.

"Yers," he said to Noodle.

"I don't know," she studied the mop intensely. "I think I see a bit of blue in there."

"Ih cewd turn blue, like mine did," said Cyan.

"An' mine," Primrose added.

"What's the name?" asked Russel.

"We never thought about it," said Noodle, cuddling the bundle close to her body.

"Call 'im Hades," said Murdoc.

"No!" She glared at him. "And you might want to take care of the little problem on your upper lip."

"Wot do we 'ave ta choose from?" said 2D. "T'ere's plenty o' English names."

"I don't want to give him an English name..."

"Yew wanna give 'im a Japanese one?"

"Not necessarily."

"Name 'im Satan."

"Quiet!" Russel growled at Murdoc. "Your names will be ignored." He focused back on Noodle. "Do ya want it to mean somethin'?"

"I...I was thinking...maybe, giving him an Irish name, like Cyan."

Arthur looked confused. "But Cyan's a color...an' an English name."

"Meh real name's Aishling," she stated nonchalantly, shocking him greatly. "Yew really wont ta give 'im an Irish name?"

"If you'll help us," said Noodle.

"I'm touched, I really am. But...yew don' wont somefink generic, right? Like Sean, or Patrick, or Conner? Somefink more exotic?"

" 'Ow abou' Lucifer?"

"Shut up Murdoc!" they all shouted, causing the baby to stir. His eyes opened to reveal deep emerald green, just like his mother. They were unfocused right now, and since he didn't feel any danger, he simply shut them once more.

"Rory..."

"Wot?" 2D looked up at his daughter.

"Cawl 'im Rory. Ih means 'red king'."

"That's a little off topic in the name department, don'cha think?" said Russel.

"Yers means 'little red', so yew can' say nuffink. 'Ow abou' ih Noodle? Do ya like Rory?"

She readjusted the baby and looked down at him lovingly. "It's perfect. Rory Pot."

2D gazed down at his wife and new son. _Four left. T'ere's four left. 'E's te eighth soul. _His mind began to wander away from the present, remembering something from long ago.

* * *

><p>~Flashback~<p>

"Toochie!"

2D turned to see the ten year old guitarist rushing up to him. Her face was lit up with glee, her green eyes sparkling. Then she slid to halt and clung to his leg tightly. He couldn't shake her off, causing her to giggle uncontrollably. "Wot is ih, Noods?"

"Hurry!" She let go and grabbed his hand, causing him to lean down slightly to accommodate the size difference. She led him across the park, busy with people on this warm, sunny day. She finally let go and clambered up onto a bench where a woman was already sitting. "Look! Is...is baby, Toochie-san. Baby!" She pointed at the small bundle in the woman's arms. Noodle leaned over to look at the little face inside.

"Be polite, Noods."

But the woman didn't seem to mind the inquisitive little girl. "Baby...Toochie...Toochie-san have baby?"

"No Noodle, boys can' 'ave babies."

This comment made her think for a few moments. "Noodle have baby?" she finally asked.

"If yew eveh 'ave a baby, ih betteh be wiff te man yew love, or I'll 'unt 'im down an' rip out 'is arms." She didn't understand what he had said, so she just giggled. "C'mon," he scooped her up and sat her on his shoulders.

"Bye! Bye!" Noodle waved to the woman, who waved farewell back to her.

~End Flashback~

* * *

><p>"What part of yew is true?"<p>

Arthur's voice shocked Cyan so badly she almost dropped her father's phone. She was currently out in the waiting room once more, dialing a number she had picked up off the cell. "Wot do ya mean?"

"Firs', I find ou' yew 'ave a sister, now I discover yer real name is Aishling? An' then there wos tha' thing durin' the winter storm. Wot else are yew 'idin' from me? An' be truthful."

"Won' lie ta yew. I'm an orphan since age six, spent two years battlin' meh own demons an' te workers at meh orphanage. Escaped at age eight, crossed te ocean ta Plastic Beach, found meh da', fought against a wraith named Sun Moon Stars from another dimension, escaped by sub, turned up on land, an' wandered out 'ere ta make a fresh start. I used ta 'ave six brothers an' sisters. I saw one die before meh very eyes, an' another wos snatched away before I cewd save 'im. Te 'fing yew saw in te storm wos a similar spirit cawled Evangelist, who's 'ere ta protect me an' meh family. An' in time, I 'ave ih figured an awl-out brawl between dark an' light is gonna decide te fate o' me an' meh siblings. Does tha' answer yer questions?"

He couldn't reply, so he leaned against the wall and slid to the floor. Cyan returned to dialing on her father's phone. Under listed contacts, she had found 'Mum and Dad'. She held the phone to her ear, listening to the rings.

" 'Ello?" said an eager female voice.

" 'Ello, is t'is Rachel Pot?"

"...yes." Now she sounded sad.

_O' course! She saw te cawler I.D. an' must've thought ih wos 'er son cawlin'. Way ta go Cyan. _"My name Aishling Connell-Pot, an', by t'is day, yew 'ave four grandchildren."

"...are yew...one o' Stuart's children?"

"Yes."

"Oh love! Ih's wonderful ta 'ear from yew! 'Ow is Stuart? David said 'e saw 'im at te fairgrounds, an' wiff tha' Muhdoc! But 'e also said wiff two li'le girls, wos one o' 'em yew?"

"Yes, I wos t'ere. Te otheh girl is Primrose Meadows, meh sister. An', born t'day, I add Rory Pot ta meh list o' siblings."

"Rory Pot? 'E...Stuart 'as another child?"

" 'E's married now, we live togetheh in a nice 'ome. Rory jus' came inta t'is world a few 'ours ago. I jus' wonted ta cawl an' tell yew tha'. Maybe, in te future, we'll get ta meet face ta face. But not now...ih's too dangerous now."

"Is somefink wrong, love?"

"Yew needn' be concerned, goodbye." She hung up the phone and waited a bit, wondering if she would call back. The cell stayed silent. "I'm sorry Art," she said without looking over at him, "but t'ere a lot more ta meh family than yew will eveh undehstand. An' ih's betteh tha' yew don' get involved."

"But yer meh friend! If somthin's wrong, I wont ta 'elp! Yew 'elped me when I thought meh dad was gonna die."

"An' we con still be friends, ta wot I know. But t'ere are a few 'fings tha' need ta take place. Until t'en, we'll neveh be free. Charlie Moss, Aishling Connell-Pot, Annalise Robins, Thomas Miller, Joel Smalls, Primrose Meadows, Gabriel Winter, an' Rory Pot. We are caught up inna supernatural whirlwind unlike any otheh. An' I 'ope, when ih's oveh, tha' we con still be friends."

* * *

><p>Rory went through a number of different names before I settled on the one he has now.<p> 


	27. My Choice

My Choice

I am the voice of Dragons past

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>"Oh! I can' get over 'ow cute 'e is!"<p>

The women eagerly crowded around Noodle to view the little bundle that was Rory Pot. Noodle readjusted her son, slightly uncomfortable with the close contact of their crowd. She was sitting in one of their lawn chairs, so she was shorter than the others. It was an outdoor movie night. Nate and the twins' parents were putting it on. They had a barbecue going and the screen was set up against a wall of their house. The whole neighborhood was here, milling about, snacking from the tables, or finding a comfortable spot on the sloped lawn to see the movie.

"Please make room," said Cyborg firmly, sensing Noodle's slight distress. The women looked at her from over their shoulders and backed away from the new mother. Cyborg was intimidating, and they weren't quite sure why Noodle's twin sister had remained a mystery this whole time. Mister Christofferson seemed a little off about being around her sometimes, but she was usually never far from Noodle. The green, snaggle-toothed man was also a bit of a mystery, but some people seemed to realize who he was and steered clear in disgust.

2D ducked around the smoke of the grill and made his way to the snack table. He swiped a water bottle and a beer before returning to his family, plate loaded with snackables. He settled into the lawn chair next to Noodle once the crowd had broken apart. " 'Ere ya are, love," he passed the water bottle to her.

"Thank you, when they stand around, I can't get up."

Cyan and Primrose were sprawled out on a blanket in front of them, sharing Cyan's panda Pillow Pet. A few days ago, Murdoc had gone off and returned with a box of bits and odds. Some of these objects they recognized from old Kong, like his old cape. Among them was the collection of slideshow images they played for Fire Coming Out of A Monkey's Head. With a hole puncher and some ribbon, Cyan had turned it into a book and the girls were now pawing through it, listening to the song on Cyan's Ipod.

"Okay everybody! Ih's time!"

The people began rushing for their spots. Russel plopped down in their little space, closely followed by Murdoc, who was only there because they didn't trust him enough to leave him home alone. Cyborg had agreed to come almost immediately and attached herself to her twin the whole time.

" 'Ere," 2D lifted Rory out of his mother's arms. "Eat somefink, love."

They both took notice that Cyborg picked up her chair and shifted to 2D's side once the swap of the child had been made. It was a little hard to tell the change since the sky was darkening, but Noodle had noticed. Everyone, except Murdoc, relaxed and settled in to watch the movie. Ferdinand joined the girls on the blanket.

* * *

><p>"Wow, I 'fink she's gettin' 'eavier!" 2D grunted as he stepped through the door, Cyan rested on his shoulder, fast asleep. "Ih's amazin' she isn' growin'!"<p>

"She'll start," said Russel, carrying Primrose. "Shouldn't be too long."

"Don't crash! Don't crash just yet!" Noodle pushed a wavering Murdoc through the door, guiding him until he tripped over the coffee table and slammed face-first down onto the couch. "Good enough." Cyborg followed with Rory in her arms. "I think it's bedtime, the signs have it." Rory started stirring, so Noodle retrieved him and went off to the kitchen. "I'll feed him first, hopefully he'll sleep through the whole night."

After being roused awake, Cyan and Primrose quickly went about their business to get ready for bed. Russel disappeared downstairs, and 2D, up. Only Cyborg remained behind with her. At Rory's birth, Noodle had at first fiddled with maybe raising him on breast milk, but since Murdoc was in the house and Cyborg still stuck to her like a magnet, she put the idea to rest. With a sigh, she sank into a chair with Rory tucked against her chest and a bottle in the other hand.

All was relatively quiet. Murdoc snorted a few times, but that was probably because he wasn't getting a steady flow of air. A toilet upstairs flushed, and soon after, the one downstairs did as well. Primrose emerged from the branching room and joined Cyan at the stairwell. Together, they climbed up the smaller staircase to the walk and Cyan's bedroom.

"I want one," Cyborg's voice broke the silence.

"What?" Noodle looked over at her.

She pointed at Rory. "I want one."

"You want a baby?" Her twin nodded. "I...I don't think that's possible." She scrambled for something else to say at the sight of Cyborg's crestfallen face. "Well...well you see...you can't really...have one." _Well that's no better! _"Nature won't really allow for you create one, you don't even have organs. And I'm not sure Murdoc would be happy if you went out and brought one back."

"We are not under his roof. This house belongs to you."

"But, you see...once we find the last child, Murdoc won't have a reason to stay here anymore. He'll probably want to leave. He doesn't want to deal with the kids, and he'll be taking you with him if he leaves Evangelist here to protect us."

Cyborg shook her head firmly. "I don't want to go, I like it here."

"I'm beginning to realize that, but I don't think any court will hear a custody case over a sentient robot."

She looked down at her folded hands. "You love them, don't you?"

"Who?" asked Noodle. "The children?"

"They are not yours, yet you love them."

"In a way, they're partially mine. I'm married to Stuart, who fathered all of them. I don't think I have any rights to them, but I do feel a certain kinship."

"...Do you...feel that bond to me?"

The question shocked her. _What do I feel for Cyborg? Not love...I don't think. But some sort of kinship, maybe? _"I...I guess I see you as a friend. And don't worry about the baby thing, there's a lot that goes into this that you don't know."

"Like what?"

"Not counting birth, you have to be up all hours of the night, you have to know how to care for one, you have to know how to integrate them into society once they're older, you have to know how to recognize their calls and what they want, the list goes on and on."

"How do you know this?"

"Mostly instinct. You may not be able to have a baby, but," Rory whimpered while being moved to Cyborg's arms, but calmed once he had his bottle back, "that doesn't mean you can't enjoy a little bit of motherhood."

Murdoc stirred from his fake sleep once the lights shut out. He was irritated by how long the two had taken, and, indeed, he had been snorting from lack of air. _Why do women take so long ta talk? An' ih's complete an' utter nonsense. Stupid robot, I'll 'ave ta do somthin' 'bout 'er malfunctioning. _He listened closely for any sound above or below. Silence.

He pulled out a few files from beneath couch, having stashed them there since his first arrival. Noodle's conversation did get him thinking though. What was he going to do once the last child was rescued? Where was he going to go? _I 'aven' really thought tha' far. Faceache's only puttin' up with me ta get 'is stupid kids, Noodle's not gonna want me 'round 'er baby, Russel will 'urt me if I do anythin' outta line, an'... _he paused for a moment, _the runt doesn' really think anythin' about me. Not tha' I know of. In fact, she's usually the only one who's even remotely nice ta me. Tha' weird kid. _He sank back into the couch cushions. _She's not too diff'rent from Noodle. Or at least 'ow Noodle used ta be._

Someone coughed, reminding him of where he was. He pulled a flashlight from under the couch and began reading over the papers. _Even though we've been dodgin' death these trips, I 'onestly feel like I've 'ad fun. I'm not...enjoyin' their company, am I? No! _he told himself firmly. _I'm not tha' much o' a pushover. Remember wot they did, Murdoc. They took yer car an' left ya on a burnin' island of trash, an' Faceache broke El Diablo. _He reached under for one file he was missing. He was greeted with a shocked sight once he retrieved it. Via sticky note, a small question was scribbled on the file.

**Why did you save me?**

**~Cyan**

_Why did I save 'er? Why did I come back? Why do I even care? !_

* * *

><p>"Yew'll come back, right?" asked Primrose. It was morning, and the time had come to venture out one last time. Joel Smalls awaited them, even if he didn't know.<p>

"Don' worry," Cyan assured her sister. "We'll be back in no time, an' wiff our brother. T'en everythin' will be okay. Yer parents can come an' visit us!"

"But I can' go 'ome."

"Not yet. Make sure yew cawl 'em soon, we don' need te police up 'ere." Primrose regularly made phone calls to her parents to give them her status reports, and it was part of the agreement so they didn't call the cops.

"We're goin' 'ome ta Essex!" Murdoc announced, walking into the kitchen where the others were. "Tha's where yer last kid is."

"Wow, Essex," 2D said wistfully. "Tha' brings back memories...some aren' so good."

"Wait...wait...ya 'ear tha'?" said Murdoc. Everyone began looking around, straining their ears to hear whatever it was the man was talking about. "Ih's the sound o' yew bein' an idiot!"

"Stop it, Murdoc," Noodle scolded. "Go get the kid, bring him back, then get out of here." Cyborg's hands gripped her arm once this was said. Noodle patted her hands comfortingly, but didn't take back what she said. "Early bird gets the worm, I think it's time to set out."

And so, Stylo was loaded up one last time, its passengers getting in for its last voyage. Cyan sat in the back seat, the file papers spread out over the seat. Joel was going to be a little harder to find. He was the only one of the children who didn't have blue hair, and they _did_ count Rory to have blue hair, even though it was only tinted. A messy mop of brown hair with blue eyes, face fixed in a dazed expression, like 2D's when he was high off his pills. He _did _look a lot like 2D, more than Cyan and Primrose did. Murdoc claimed he had the boy's address, so maybe it wouldn't be too hard.

Noodle was leaned against the garage, under the cover of the run. _Oh Murdoc, what does the future hold for you? What are your reasons for being here? We are no longer a band, it can't possibly be money. It's going to be hard for you to leave. The boys will drive you out, and Cyborg will most likely abandon you and come back. A robotic nursemaid for Rory, I think I can live with that. Our electric bills are gonna be huge._

"Alright! We're off!" Murdoc came through the door, 2D following close behind. "Last trip!"

"T'en te nightmare's oveh!" 2D cheered.

"Nach bhfuil réidh nó, anseo teacht orainn!" said Cyan. (Translation: 'Ready or not, here we come!')

The others waved the Camaro goodbye from the front lawn. "Ohhh...now I'm sad," said Noodle. "I got an idea, let's go into town. Russel's been the only one at the shop this whole time. And I don't need maternity leave!" she added when the man opened his mouth.

"I wasn' gonna say that. I think it's a great idea. We can show Rosie the town, would ya like that?"

"Sure!" said the child.

Noodle glanced at Cyborg, noticing a key factor. "Where's Rory?"

"In the house," she responded.

_Oh, there's a lot you need to learn. _She quickly bounded back into the house. After the baby was safely back in his mother's care, they crowded into Mako, barely fitting mind you, and carted off into town. They piled out of the car once it was parked in their designated spot. Russel's feet crunched on several letters lying on the floor right below the mail slot. "We've been missed."

"Those orchestra people from the city asking for us again?" asked Noodle, who set Rory's carrying bassinet on the counter. "What happened this time?"

"Their conductor fell from his stand an' knocked over a line of string basses."

"Idiot," she muttered. "Breaking instruments. I'm not a fan of bowed string instruments, but still."

"This is were yew work?" asked Primrose, looking around.

"This is our shop. We own it. Next door is a bakery, go through at any point you want. Just tell them you're with us, they'll take care of you."

"But they don' even know me."

"They'll get to know you. They won't turn you away." Rory started fussing, causing Noodle to turn all her attention on to him. When her rocking wouldn't calm him, she resorted to picking up her guitar from its case. The tune did more than calm him. His eyes open wide at the sounds and the movement of her fingers.

"You've converted him now," Russel joked.

"I believe you are right."


	28. Moment Of Clarity

Moment of Clarity

I am the voice of Dragons past

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>A misty Spring morning greeted Noodle as she stood in the backyard, staring off into the Hills. It was the morning after 2D, Murdoc, and Cyan's departure. No word on what had happened just yet. Murdoc assured them it shouldn't take too long, but, for all she knew, he would probably milk the opportunity. But then...there was his dislike of children. Of course, he <em>did <em>seem to favor Cyan. Then again, he couldn't put up with 2D much longer.

_My head hurts. _She returned to the house. The others were sitting at the kitchen table, Russel and Primrose enjoying breakfast, Cyborg was pinching Rory's hair, an intense expression on her face, while he stared up at her blankly with those green eyes they shared. So far, they weren't able to prove that he could tell his nursemaid and mother apart, but the two were certain he had some way of knowing. "It seems so empty."

"They'll be back, baby-girl," said Russel. "An' with another kid, we'll have our hands full."

She settled at the table. She leaned forward, her head rested in her hands. Haunting images were plaguing her dreams again. Familiar landscapes and screams, creatures stalking in the shadows. And one, a single demon, who was different. Who saved her from the pain. He was the most prominent in her dreams. _Why am I seeing him again? He abandoned me._

"You want me to make ya some grub?" said Russel.

"No, I'm okay. I just haven't been sleeping well." She stood back up. "I think I'm going for a walk."

"Wot about Rory?" asked Primrose.

"He'll be fine, he's got Cyborg and Russel." She stopped outside the front door. A raven was sitting on a lawn chair, his head cocked to the side as he stared at her. "Hello Cortez, where've you been?" He croaked and hopped down from the chair. Noodle watched him hop around, slowly getting closer to her. He eventually jumped up on her shoulder. "Wow, I've never seen you this friendly." His head was turned so his red eye glared into her own green ones. No sound was exchanged between them, just a held gaze.

Noodle gasped when an image flashed in her mind. A great figure covered in black fur, sweeping wings of ragged feathers, gnarled teeth, a metal helmet, glowing, blood-red eyes. It slowly approached her, sitting up on its haunches. The image faded, leaving the poor woman gasping for air and trembling. "How did you-"

Cortez spread his wings, but didn't take off. His beak parted, but a sound unlike any an actual raven could muster escaped. The screams of tortured souls, and she recognized her own among them. He folded his wings back down and picked at a strand of her hair. He jumped down and picked up a stick, then returned to her shoulder. He twisted his head and positioned the stick like one would hold it to walk with. He held it with one of his feet and then used his beak to mar it up.

"You're...you're..." tears slipped from her eyes. "You're the demon! You're the one who saved me! You're Walks-with-Bone, my rescuer, my demon!" She collapsed to her knees, sobbing loudly. Cortez squawked when she grabbed him from her shoulder and hugged him tightly. Although he was obviously uncomfortable, he didn't fight her. "Walks-with-Bone, Cortez, I don't know what to call you!"

"Baby-girl!" Russel burst through the door, Cyborg right behind him. "What happened? Are you okay? Why are you huggin' the bird?"

"No reason," she choked. She released the raven, who ruffled his feathers in annoyance but didn't hop away. Cortez cocked his head again and stared into Noodle's eyes. They say the eyes were the window to the soul, and Cortez knew the way to communicate through to her. Maybe it was demon knowledge. Right into her soul came an intense feeling of horror. Fear, hate, anguish, all poured into her body. She screamed loudly, shutting her eyes, thus cutting off the feed. But the aftershock was enough to ground her.

"Baby-girl!" Russel knelt with her, shaking her shoulders. Cyborg reached over to grab Cortez, realizing him to be the source of her twin's condition.

"No!" Noodle stopped her and crawled to the bird. "What is going to happen?" Cortez locked gazes with her again. Now she was gifted with sight. Images of a blue-haired child twisting in agony, she saw herself- no, it was Cyborg- her chest cavity ripped open, exposed wires coated in oil, the ground was shattering, fire leapt into the sky, a small bundle soaked in blood was wailing from where it was laying on a trash-strewn ground, and two identical beings faced each other, a body lay between them. Her sight began to creep closer, to see whoever it was that was on the ground.

"Noodle!" her own voice called her away from the scene. She was slouched over, Cyborg hugging her tightly. "Escape the sight, the demon has shown you the horrors. Don't let it consume you." She started gasping for air. She sat up, wiping her face of tears. "What did he show you?"

"So much...destruction...and pain. Cyan...and...and Rory, something horrible is going to happen. We have to find the others! We're going to Essex!" She scrambled upward, grabbing Cortez once more. "Pack whatever we need, we leave as soon as we're ready." Russel rushed back into the house to do what she said, and to calm a trembling Primrose, who had remained frozen in her chair.

"What did he show you?" Cyborg repeated.

"I...shouldn't tell you."

"You must," she insisted.

"You're...you're gonna die." Both were silent. The robot betrayed no emotion.

"Cyan and Rory?"

"Both were still alive, but I'm not sure about injuries."

"Good, let us pack."

* * *

><p>"Huh," 2D lowered his phone. "Noodle won' pick up."<p>

"She's pro'lly busy, ya left 'er behind with yer kids." Murdoc was leaned against the wheel of Stylo.

"Try Russel," Cyan suggested, standing up in the back to look over her father's shoulder. "Or te shop, maybe t'ey're down in town. Or try Misteh Christofferson. Oh! Wot's tha'?" She scrambled for the window to look out as they passed a rusty, barred gate. Behind the gate was a sprawling landscape of trash, and on the weird hilltop was a decrepit building.

"Kong Studios," said Murdoc with a certain reverence. "Ah, the good ole days. Ih's 'oldin' up pretty well, considerin' I 'ad ta burn ih."

"I neveh wont ta know wot goes on in yer mind. Yew really used ta live t'ere? Ih's so creepy!"

"We also lived on Plastic Beach," 2D reminded her," an', in a way, tha' place wos worse. At least yew cewd escape from 'ere."

Cyan only silently nodded. Her attention was drawn back up the hill. As the building disappeared from her view, she saw an eerie red glow resonate from it.

* * *

><p>When a conductor passed by them, Russel quickly tucked the blanket over Cortez. The raven didn't seem to mind, but insisted on being able to peer out. Primrose was leaned against the window, watching the landscape race by as their train passed it. The others hadn't explained what had happened in the yard for her own protection. They only said they were going to meet up with 2D.<p>

"Oh, lewk at te baby! Isn' 'e adorable?" a pair of young women were in the aisle, cooing over the baby in Cyborg's arms. Rory gurgled and smiled back at them, causing them to start squealing lightly. " 'Ow old is 'e?"

"Only a few weeks," said Noodle.

"Are yew ta aunt or mother?"

"Mother."

"Yew..." said the other woman," yew seem really familiar." She glanced at Russel, who readjusted his hat, pretending to scratch his head.

"They're onto us," he said after they left.

"Russel-" Noodle started.

"Not them specifically, but...just people. We're out o' the protection o' Valleyridge. People are bound to recognize us. You sure this is safe? I'm sure Stu an' Muds won' waste any time to come back."

"Something horrible is going to happen, Cortez showed me."

"An' what exactly is the deal with Cortez?"

"He-" she stopped herself. _I can't tell Russel he's Walks-with-Bone. He'll pluck him an' stuff him. _"Just trust me, okay? I need you to trust me."

"I do trust you, but Muds' bird jus' made ya break down from bloody visions in your head. If he's posin' a certain danger, I don' want him around, same with Murdoc."

"That's another thought. What do you think Murdoc's going to do when this is all over?"

"Probably wreak havoc across the United Kingdom."

Noodle glanced over at Primrose. The girl was whispering to herself as she stared out the window. She also noticed that Cortez was staring at the child, his red eyes focused entirely on her. After a few moments of scrutiny, he turned away and shut his eyes. _Did he think she was Cyan? Or is he actually interested in the children? _He reopened his eyes and chose to look at Rory.

"Hey bird," Russel dropped the blanket over the raven's head.

Cortez just poked his head through and turned to Noodle. _No, don't do it again. Look away. I don't want to see it again. _But she knew she couldn't turn away. Whatever Cortez needed for her to see, she couldn't refuse. In her sight passed a woman with her hood up, hiding her face, but she carried a baby against her chest. Noodle's sight turned to the woman's front and Noodle saw a flash of gold chain around her neck. Now she saw a city she didn't recognize. She was standing in a street, a clump of blue hair lying at her feet. She heard the terrified scream of a child. Now she was floating, someplace where she couldn't see the ground.

_Slowboat! _Indeed, the windmill island was drifting by. She could see people on the island. She couldn't tell who they were, but would've liked to know who they were.

"Sun Moon Stars is coming," whispered a voice in her ear. "Let her realize the Dream."

"Baby-girl!" Russel shook Noodle roughly. For the past two minutes, she had a blank expression on her face, her eyes hazed over.

"I'm okay," she assured him.

"That bird did it again, didn' he?" His fist raised upward, ready to bring it down on the raven's head.

"Don't you dare hurt him!" Noodle snapped. She grabbed the bundled bird and held him in her lap. While she was leaned across the seats, she came within earshot of Primrose.

"Death is the lord, the one thing we all share. A Dream has been seen by a wounded heart, but she remains so strong. And he who brought forth eight souls will go where none have gone and returned. The two servants of the Souls will bow to a new master who bears the scars of both, one her servant, the other, her assailant. None can survive until the debt is paid. Only through his soul can those whom he sees with affection be left to live." Her voice was deeper, her accent gone. Suddenly, she looked up, completely fine. "Wot 'appened?" she asked after seeing Noodle's expression.

"Nothing." _She did it when I was in my daze. _Though her head didn't move, her eyes glanced down at the raven. _If I'm his sight... is she his voice? _She picked up the bird and looked him right in the face. "What are you trying to say?"

"Good afternoon passengers," said the voice over the intercom, "we 'ave reached our destination. Please depart the train at the designated time."

* * *

><p>"No! Jus' drop me like meh mum did!"<p>

"I'm about ta drop_ kick_ ya!" Cyan yelled.

Joel Smalls was a simple boy. He didn't think about much, didn't ask for much, didn't really do much. People called him 'simple-minded', but he wasn't really that stupid. Not first-rate intelligence, just a little thick headed. He lived in Essex with his single mother. She was at work at the moment, which was why Murdoc had kidnapped him without anyone stopping him. Currently, half of his body was hanging out the open back window of Stylo, his sister gripping his legs in a desperate attempt to make sure he didn't become one with the road.

"Knock ih off!" Murdoc shouted.

With a grunt, Cyan yanked her brother back into the car. "Are yew insane? !"

"Some psychiatrists are arguin' over ih. Who are yew guys again?"

"I'm yer sister an' tha's yer da'."

"Who's 'e?" he pointed to Murdoc.

"Tha's Misteh Muhdoc, jus' don' give 'im a reason ta 'it yew."

"Right..." he was quiet for a moment before diving forward toward 2D's open window.

"Stop tha'!" 2D grabbed him around his waist. The car rocked back and forth as father and daughter team wrestled the boy. Murdoc was kicked a few times in the process.

"Dog!" Cyan hid behind 2D's seat as a dark shape darted in front of the car. Stylo swerved, throwing its passengers around in the cab. There were two loud exploding sounds and the car bounced up before rolling to a halt.

"Damn ih!" Murdoc slammed his fists down on the wheel. "Yew goddamn kids! I should've let'chu crash through the freakin' windshield!"

2D was making a garbled choking sound. His seat belt had locked when the car had bounced and now wouldn't loosen, catching him across the neck and choking him. Cyan pulled at the strap enough to shove his head under it and free him. " 'Fanks," he said, rubbing his throat. "Where'd we stop?"

"Yew think I know?" Murdoc growled. "Yew an' yer stupid kids...glad I'm leavin'."

_Are yew really? _Cyan wondered. The four climbed out of the car to assess the damage. The front and back tires of the left side had blown, the likely cause of the car jumping upward. The blue haired girl checked up the road, not able to discern their location from any other bare road in any city. There was a large concrete wall on their side, blocking her view of whatever it protected. The other side was just some random buildings.

" 'Ey!" Murdoc's call made her spin around to see her brother trying to slink away. The man had grabbed him cruelly by the hair. "Yer not goin' anywhere. Sit tight, yew li'le sod."

Determined not to let the Satanist set the image for her family, Cyan volunteered to watch Joel while Murdoc and 2D fixed the car. The siblings walked further down the road. Joel was silent, his hands stuffed in his pockets. His shoulders were slumped and his dazed expression was more saddened.

"Don' let Misteh Muhdoc get ta yew. 'E doesn' like anyone."

"Ih's not 'im. This place...I'm not supposed ta come 'round 'ere." On cue, several voices rang out among the buildings on the other side. They were laughing loudly. Male, maybe a female among them, young, one of their voices cracked causing the others to laugh even harder.

" 'Ey! Lewk who ih is!" called one of them.

A larger boy stepped forward onto the road. " 'Ey jaffa! I said not ta come 'round 'ere no more!"

"I didn' mean ta," Joel murmured.

_Jaffa? _"Why can' 'e?" Cyan asked.

"Who the 'ell are yew?" asked the boy, a look of disgust on his face.

"Cyan, Joel's sister. Please explain why-"

"Yew too?" asked one of the boys. "T'ere's pro'lly a whole family of 'em."

"Don'," she pulled out her slingshot, "yew dare insult meh family."

"Don' get involved," Joel put a hand on her shoulder. "Ih's not worth ih."

The larger boy walked across the road, cracking his knuckles. He sized himself up against the small girl. "An' wot 'appens if I do?"

"I'll make yew regret ih."

And, just like that, he punched her. The child sprawled out on the ground, but she acted instantly. Pulling out the flick knife, she leapt up and pushed the blade against his neck. The others yelled and rushed forward to defend him. "Stay back!" the boy growled. "Stay back..." his eyes turned in their sockets to look down at her. "Yew crazy bitch."

"Don' insult meh family," she repeated. Joel grabbed her arm and started tugging her away. She lowered the knife, but continued to glare at the boy. She started walking with her brother once more, ready to leave this fight behind.

"An' wot 'appens if I do? !" the boy yelled after them.

"Yew'll pay," said a voice. The children turned to see 2D loading up a revolver. "Yer nothin' but bullies, an' I've 'ad ta deal wiff my share o' bullies. Stop messin' wiff meh kids." He finished loading the gun and played around with it, glancing up at the gang. He wouldn't do it, but he just wanted to show that he _could, _if he wanted to. But did they really want to risk it?

"Let's go guys," said the larger boy. "Leave the fuckin' jaffas."

"Jaffa?" said 2D after the kids had left, and before Cyan could voice the very question. "Yer a jaffa?"

"Yew wanna play football, an' suddenly yer medical 'info-mation' is awl over the school," Joel muttered. He looked over at Cyan and saw the questioning look on her face."A jaffa is a...impotent person. Tha' right?" he said more to himself. "I got some tests done when I 'it puberty, I'm..." he paused, " 'ster-ile', tha's the word."

"Is ih hereditary?" asked 2D.

"I can' 'ave kids, so ih doesn' really matter." He watched the retreating figures. "I wonder if they realize their mistake in cawlin' yew a jaffa, I mean, yer our dad. There's no way yew could be a jaffa." He kicked a rock. "Car done?"

"Nope, but I 'eard shoutin'," said 2D. They all heard a loud bang and then a stream of cuss words that would make anyone's ears bleed. "I betteh go back, don' wandeh too far." He pocketed the gun and returned to help Murdoc.

"Did yew at least get ta play?" asked Cyan once they were alone.

"Nope...an' crap." He pointed toward the buildings, a shadow of a person standing there. "They're back."

Cyan focused her eyes on the figure. It was still bright out, but this figure was completely shadowed, like _they _themselves were darkness. " 'Old on," she grabbed Joel's shirt. The figure didn't move at all, but she saw it. The surface _rippled. _Like it was going to change. _So 'e's 'ere. _"Run!" she shoved her brother and took off down the road. The figure faded away like as if the sun had risen in fast motion.

"Why are we runnin'?" Joel shouted.

"We're in terrible dangeh!" The two collided with something solid and were thrown back onto the asphalt. "Ow!"

"Ow's right! What the hell? !"

_Wait. _Cyan looked up. "Noodle?"

It _was_ her, rubbing her shoulder in pain. "Thank God we found you! Something terrible is going to happen!" The others appeared behind her. Rory, safe in Cyborg's arms, Primrose was holding Cortez, and Russel quickly helped the woman to her feet. "Where are Stu and Murdoc?"

"Down te road, Stylo popped some tires." She looked behind her, hoping to see them. A sudden chill made her shiver. _I left 'em defenseless, an' we're awl in one place. _A shadow passed. "Run!" she screamed, grabbing Joel and charging forward just as two arms reached out. Noodle screamed as the Boogieman materialized before them. He looked down at her before continuing after the retreating figures. Primrose had thrown Cortez into the air and ran after her siblings. The trio raced along the concrete wall, the shadowy, towering, figure close behind. _Why doesn' 'e jus' go fer Misteh Muhdoc? Are we jus' a game ta 'im now?_

" 'Ere!" Joel stopped beside the rusty barred gate.

The children slipped through just as the Boogieman swiped at them. His eyes glittered as he watched them retreat to the building atop the hill. The ruins of Kong Studios.

* * *

><p>I've heard several people think 2D's a jaffa, so I made one of his kids one.<p>

about some of Joel's words, I don't kno what I was thinking. 'Info-mation' is pronounced slowly and with a long 'o' sound (In-foe-mae-shun) And 'ster-ile' is pronounced as such (Ster-ie-ul) again, I don't know why, maybe it's 'cause I'm making Joel a little less intelligent than the kids before and figured he'd talk a little slower and lazier.


	29. A Noble Sacrifice

A Noble Sacrifice

I am the voice of Dragons past

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>"Noodle!" 2D sprang upward from his place by the newly replaced wheel when he saw his wife, Cyborg, and Russel come pelting down the roadway. "Wot are yew doin' 'ere?"<p>

"We said we'd come back!" said Murdoc. "Yew doubtin' me now?"

"This had nothing- wait, it _does _have something to do with you!" Noodle countered. "Did you realize your bird is a demon?"

"My-wait, wot? Cortez?"

"Yes-yes! Cortez, your bird, he's a demon. Not only that, he's the demon that rescued me from Hell! He succeeded where you failed!"

"Calm down, love, speak slowly," he urged her. "Yer not makin' any sense."

"Who cares if I'm making sense? The Boogieman's here! He just chased the kids past the gate. They managed to slip through just in time, but he'll follow them. We have to help!" She grabbed 2D's hand and started tugging him in the direction the children had fled. But soon she didn't have to pull. They both started sprinting.

"Oh my God..." 2D whispered when they stopped in front of the gate. "I don' believe ih. I can' be real."

"Just because you believe something isn't real doesn't mean it is," Noodle said frantically. "I've ridden a flying windmill and we've had a confrontation with a giant moose. Let's go!"

"But Noodle te last time we saw t'is place-"

"How 'bout a trip down memory lane when your kids aren't in mortal peril?"

"Right!" He threw his shoulder against the gate, causing the metal to squeak loudly, but it didn't yield to him. He started kicking it, and even tried to pull off a karate-style kick and landed flat on his ass. His focus was completely on the gate, which was why Noodle had to yank him out of the way when Stylo barreled forward and smashed it down. Cortez croaked loudly after being spooked off his roost on the wall and took off into the landfill. "Holy fuck Muhdoc!"

"Wrong!" the man was running down the road toward them, Russel following with Rory in his arms. "Damn robot!" Cyborg jumped out of the driver's seat, a look of slight excitement on her face. Murdoc grabbed her by the neck and shook her violently. "If yew bust meh car, I'll sell yew ta the scrap 'eap!" The robot fought his grip and raced inside the landfill after Noodle and 2D. "Ya ever get the feelin' everybody's ignorin' yew?" Murdoc asked Russel, turning around to realize the man had gone inside as well. "Shit..."

* * *

><p>"Okay-okay-okay," Cyan was out of breath after the lengthy run up the hill. She checked over a smashed directory she found on the floor of what she figured had once been the lobby of this place. The building was in complete ruin, burnt down it looked like. The ceiling was caving in, the walls had tumbled, wires were hanging around, sparking, scorch marks everywhere.<p>

"We n-n-need a good 'indin' place," said Primrose. "Someplace ih won' find us."

"I'm afraid tha' place doesn' exist," Cyan responded. "We can only do our best."

Joel investigated the lift. A broken neon sign was swinging back and forth by a single wire that attached it to above the doors, right below another sign. "Ih's comin' up, ih's there," he whispered. He pushed the button for the lift, expecting that the poor old thing didn't work anymore. However, a voice rang out as the gears moved noisily.

"It's coming up, it's coming up, it's coming up, it's coming up, it's there!"

"Shit!" Cyan hissed through her teeth. "Cewd yew be any loudeh?"

"Ih's not my fault!" he whispered back. The doors opened with a shower of dust and...a severed hand. The kids all squealed together and hugged each other. Nothing else popped out at them, so they began a conversation. Cyan realized it didn't matter where they went, the whole place was falling down. Any place they could find to hide was about as good as it was going to get. After some coaxing with Primrose, the three siblings clambered into the lift and went to the first floor. A door covered with bloodstains was right in front of them when the lift doors opened. Primrose whimpered and covered her eyes at the sight of the bloody ax in front of it. The door to the right had much less blood, but they weren't up for exploring much. They chose the bloody door.

"C'mon," Cyan coaxed her siblings in a hushed voice. "Ih's not broken into. T'ere must be a reason why t'is specific room cewdn't be ransacked." The door creaked open and revealed a corridor with numbered doors. She tried the first two, 15 and 18, but they wouldn't open. Carefully stepping around an abandoned tricycle, she tried door 17. It opened. "Let's go."

The room was a little strangely designed, at least in her experience. The closet was a sliding door and there were bamboo mats on the floor, covering the purple carpet. Half of the back wall had crumbled. Joel crept up to the gaping hole, seeing that what had fallen made a slight ramp to the crest of the hill the building sat on, right behind a flat plaque where it looked as though a statue once stood. The sky was turning dark.

"Gyah!" Primrose screamed when she opened the closet sliding door. A robotic head, thousands of wires strung about, was lying in dust and cobwebs. She backed up, tripping over something on the floor. Cyan picked up the object. It was clock with four hands, the face of it shattered upon impact with the floor.

A loud noise frightened them, causing the children to back up near the hole in the wall. The gas mask face of the Boogieman peered around the door. He stooped slightly, then the tricycle that has been in the hall was kicked towards them. He had tripped over it. He stepped into the room, finally feeling triumphant. This wasn't just about collecting soul payment, not anymore. Cyan pulled out her slingshot and searched vainly for some ammo. She realized there was none to use that would do any damage and re-pocketed the weapon.

Realizing their only way out, Cyan hurled the clock at the dark creature and leapt out the hole in the wall, her hands gripping her siblings' arms. They landed on the remainder of the wall that formed a ramp, the sound of several bones, hopefully, just cracking. They came to a halt at the bottom, lying on the gravel and moaning in pain.

"They jumped!" a distant voice carried up the hill. "Don't worry, we're coming!"

Joel stood up. His nose was misshaped and his face was covered in blood. He panted a few times, trying to draw breath into his body. He tipped forward and vomited before panicking and fleeing down the hill, blind to the world around him. Primrose's fight-or-flight response kicked in overdrive and she took off in the other direction, leaving Cyan to cradle her aching wrist. The girl looked up to realize the Boogieman wasn't looking back down. She staggered to her feet and ran through the hole on the ground floor wall right below the one they jumped out of. She was back in the lobby and turned down a random corridor.

"Wot 'appened?" 2D was trying to climb different garbage heaps to survey the landscape. "Where'd t'ey go?"

"They split up," Cyborg reported. "Joel is using the road and descending toward the gate, Primrose is running further into the landfill, and Cyan has returned inside Kong Studios."

"Wot shewd we do?" he instinctively turned to Murdoc.

" 'Ow the 'ell should I know? They're yer kids, wot they do, yer responsible."

Noodle punched him in the cheek. "And you're the one responsible for all of this! Now help us rescue them!"

"They're not even yers," he muttered. "I don' know wot Sun Moon Stars is plannin', but ih seems obvious tha' this isn' about soul collectin' anymore. 'E's out fer revenge...revenge against...most likely Cyan."

"Why?" 2D whimpered.

"She's the one who 'urt 'is eye. I suggest, above awl others, findin' 'er first."

"Cyborg and I will go after her," Noodle volunteered. "You guys figure out the other two." The two set off up the hill, spying the fleeing Primrose among a pile of tires. Noodle pointed in the child's direction to aid the others. The shadow of a bird danced on her shoulders.

* * *

><p><em>Wot is t'is? <em>Cyan had fled through random doors, wandered out into a car park with an old Winnebago in it, then slipped through the hole in the wall. An old lift, like the kind maybe used in a mine shaft, had taken her down. Now she didn't even know where she was. It was dark and eerie, pipes crisscrossing in different places, graffiti everywhere, and an almost unbearable heat. Once more, she saw the strange glow she had noticed from the road and followed to the source. A pit in the middle of a dirty room. Heatwaves were coming from it, and she could hear something, but couldn't identify what it was. _Did te othehs know about t'is place when t'ey lived 'ere?_

She spied a doorway on the other side of the room. Carefully skirting along the wall, avoiding going near the hole at all, she made her way over to her escape route. She gripped the door handle and tugged at it. When it failed to open, she tried pushing. Nothing. _Te door's jammed! _

"Cyan!" Noodle shouted, barreling into the room.

Before the girl could respond, the demon that had slunk out of the pit grabbed her legs and yanked. She came crashing down and was dragged through the trash. "Let go!" she screamed, kicking out as best she could. Noodle raced around the pit, but froze right before she was to grab the child's hands. The screams of souls and shrieks of demons were rising out of the pit like smoke. Her fear overtook her, she was frozen.

"Noodle!" the girl yelled, clinging to the edge of the pit. "Please! Help me, Noodle!"

The poor woman shivered before snapping herself out of her daze. She shot forward and grabbed Cyan's hands just as they slipped. But the demon was stronger and continued to pull. Noodle now found herself lying on her stomach, top half in the pit. Something small and dark fell into the pit and an explosion frightened the demon enough to let go. The heat rose like a rocket and shoved Cyan upward, dragging Noodle along. Now the two were levitating over the pit with nothing to grab onto. Cyborg, who had thrown the grenade, did as her twin had done and raced around the rim to catch them.

The heat was too much for the robot. Her skin rippled and fell apart, exposing her wires and circuits. The heatwave died, causing Cyan and Noodle to plummet down. Cyborg grabbed Noodle's hand as they fell. The two slammed into the wall. Cyan held tight to Noodle's waist as they swung a little. More demon shrieks echoed upward and another monster shot up and grabbed her legs. With a heaving yank, all three were pulled down.

A dark shape shot after them and fell further into the pit. The three managed to huddle together on the fall, realizing what was going to happen to them. With a roar, a much-much larger shape sprang upward, catching them, and returning to the surface. Hands with sharpened talons stretched out from the walls to stop the shape, but it pushed right past until it reached the surface and dropped the girls. Cyan had the image of a very large creature, bigger than Stylo, covered in thick black fur and great feathered wings extended the length of the room. It had a metal helmet conjoined to its head with two long spiral horns and a smaller third on its nose. Bloody-red eyes pierced into their souls, but it didn't attack.

"Walks-with-Bone," Noodle whispered. "This is the demon that saved me from Hell, he's Cortez." She suddenly reached behind her, routing through the trash, and pulled out a long bone covered in scratch marks. She handed it to the demon, who, with its support, rose onto his hind legs. "Cortez," she leapt up and rushed to its head, stroking the fur on its jaw. "Will you fight for me one last time?"

The demon cooed softly.

_Is t'ere nuffink normal about us? _Cyan wondered.

They heard a loud groan reverberate beneath their feet. The entire room trembled as the pit began to slowly seal shut. Cortez instinctively set himself between it and the girls, hissing loudly at the sight of any demon trying to flee. Cyan peered under his outstretched wing just as the pit disappeared. The room stopped shaking as the floor welded shut.

"Why do I not like what just happened?" Noodle said out loud. An explosive boom knocked them off their feet. A crack zigzagged by them and through the wall. "Get out! Get out!" Cyborg blasted the door apart and they escaped out into the landfill. The zigzag was prominent in bald spots and constantly growing. Pieces of trash bounced around throughout the tremble. Everything settled and the cracks closed once more.

_Wot's te idea? _Cyan wondered.

An entire pile of rubbish exploded and flew across the landfill. The space remaining was emanating the same strange glow Cyan had noticed. Suddenly, in a whirlpool effect, all the trash began to slide into the hellhole. A foul smelling stench wafted across the landfill, different from the normal scent. Burning garbage. A pillar of smoke ascended into the dark sky from the columns of fire that leapt from below.

* * *

><p>"Oh my God," Russel's eyes widened as the familiar landfill disappeared into Hell. "This is bad...real bad."<p>

"Wot's goin' on?" Joel was sheltered behind a chunk of plaster, Rory in his arms since Russel was out in the open. The boy's blood was already dry all over his face. His mouth was open, the only way he was able to breathe. He had been given Rory earlier on, and, unfortunately, the baby's blanket was coated in his blood. "Are we gonna die?"

"I'm not quite sure."

"I ain' never seen ih do tha' before!" Murdoc was stumbling over the sliding heaps, dragging Primrose after him. "Pretty impressive though."

"Are you crazy?" Russel shook his head. "Baby-girl was right, bad stuff is happenin'."

2D, who had been standing on a chunk of wall that slid down from the building, shouted something they couldn't decipher and tumbled down. "Black 'fing! Demon! Glowin' red eyes! Ih's followin' 'em!" Primrose whimpered and sheltered with Joel. "I don' know wot ih is!" He uprooted a rusty pipe and brandished it like an idiot, swinging it back and forth and falling over due to momentum.

"Put tha' down!" Cyan ordered once they were within earshot. " 'E's wiff us!" She slammed her wrist guard against it when he didn't let the pipe go, a metal clang reverberating due to her flick knife stored between the folds. He dropped it like it was molten metal. Another tremor rocked the landscape. The cracks from before reopened, causing pieces of land to rise up onto each other. More trash fell into the abyss, along with a few zombie carcasses. The ground split between the group and began to slide away, the chasm below erupting in fire.

"No!" 2D tried to size the jump to the other side, where Russel, Primrose, Joel, and Rory were slowly sliding away. "I can' do ih! I'll fawl!"

Murdoc came up with a solution easily. He picked Cyan up, took a slight running start, then heaved her across the split. Russel barely had enough time to catch her. "Problem solved, faceache."

"I'm not leaving you!" Noodle insisted when 2D reached for her. Another explosion rocked the atmosphere. The screams and screeches down below became almost unbearable.

"Sorry love." He grabbed her and copied Murdoc, throwing the poor woman across to Russel. He stumbled slightly and had to fight to keep his balance.

"Jump!" Murdoc suddenly shouted. 2D only managed to grab onto Cortez as the demon leapt across, carrying him and Cyborg along, but stranding Murdoc. The Boogieman erupted from beneath the trash and smashed his arm into the man. Murdoc flew across onto a different uprising of the landfill and didn't move from where he lay.

"Misteh Muhdoc!" Cyan immediately summoned Evangelist, her fear causing her to drop the necklace only once. "Take me!" The white robed being faltered, knowing that the safe option would be to stay away from the man, but gave in and scooped the girl up. Russel and 2D tried to grab a hold of her robes, doing their best to prevent her from taking the child into mortal danger, but they couldn't stop her. Cyan jumped down and raced over to the still man. She frantically shook his shoulder. "Wake up! Get up, yew old bastard!" She tugged at his arm, making him stir. He groaned in pain and struggled to his feet. But by using her as a crutch, he managed to rise.

"Wot did yew call me?" he asked once he was up. The answer was left unsaid when the Boogieman struck again. The two split away from each other. Murdoc landed against a tire pile, the distinct sound of something cracking. Cyan fell back, screaming as she writhed on the ground in agony. Her right arm was bent at a horrible angle at the elbow.

"It's happening," Noodle whimpered. She grabbed the bone from Cortez and picked up a tin can. Using the bone as a bat, she hit the piece of trash across the split. It struck the Boogieman in the head, diverting his attention to them. "Hey Sun Moon Stars, get over here so I can punch your other eye out!" She hit a flower pot at him. "Run," she instructed when he dove forward. The others did so, except Cyborg and Cortez, both of whom she expected wouldn't flee. "Die demon!" she swung the bone at the Boogieman's head. He ducked to avoid it, but was met by Cortez's claws, which sunk deep into his arm.

Evangelist rubbed her fingers along the break in her young master's arm. The girl had stopped screaming, but her increased breathing and the wild look in the whites of her eyes indicated she was going into shock. Evangelist twiddled her fingers nervously. She knew what to do, but it meant harming her master, something she would hate herself for. Cyan, even in her condition, tried to raise herself up to join her family. The white robed being grabbed the arm, digging her nail in a spiral around the broken joint. The skin and muscle split apart, exposing the bone. With deft fingers, she fixed up the joint and re-closed the skin, leaving only a dark marking on the underside. Cyan didn't even have time to scream in pain.

Noodle panted heavily, her strength was failing her. Even with Cyborg and Cortez working beside her, they were no match for the supernatural entity. He dodged them expertly, delivering small wounds here and there to tire them out. _I can't keep going. _A crying wail made her spin around to the others. Rory, wrapped in the blanket coated in Joel's blood, was laying on the ground. Joel had collapsed almost a foot away. 2D immediately swooped down to pick up the infant and tend to his son.

"Noodle!" Time seemed to slow after Cyborg cried out. The Boogieman yanked the bone away from her hands and drove the sharpened point toward her chest. The woman tried to step back, but her body wouldn't move. _I'm going to die, _she realized. A dark liquid splattered across her chest. It didn't smell like blood. _I'm...I'm not hurt. _Cyborg was standing in front of her, arms outstretched, the bone speared through her chest, an inch away from touching Noodle. The Boogieman's eyes glittered dangerously before ripping the bone back out. Cyborg's legs crumpled beneath her. Evangelist sprang into action, forcing her counterpart to drop his weapon and flee across the chasms. Noodle collapsed and crawled to her twin. "Why did you do this?"

"You...you mean more to them...to the world," her eyes went blank. Noodle pressed her ear against her chest. The whirring of gears was gone. She was gone.

_Where do robots go when they die?_

Cortzen flung himself back into the mix. He was struck hard in the chest and tumbled over. A sickening crack reverberated from his body and he helplessly rolled down into the chasm.

* * *

><p>Murdoc hissed in pain. <em>Tha' sodding, piss-arse, prick. Ugh, tha' smarts! <em>He couldn't move one of his arms, but blinding pain coursed through him whenever it swung in the slightest. The wrist was already swollen. He had managed to pick his way among the receding piles of trash to reach Cyan. He could see the others, off in the distance, trying to do the same thing. _I'll admit, things got way outta 'and. I...I didn' really mean fer any o' this ta 'appen. _He looked down at Cyan. _I think I'm feelin' somethin'. Regret? Maybe..._

* * *

><p>Noodle helped as best she could, but the fighting between Evangelist and the Boogieman was unlike anything she'd ever seen. They looked to be brawling physically, but the blows being thrown and damage dealt was way beyond that of a simply punch or kick. She could <em>see <em>the wind currents as they battled. Supernatural element battles were not to be toyed with. The landscape even responded to their battle. When it seemed Evangelist had the advantage, the cracks would move closer. But when the Boogieman gained the upper hand, they split further apart.

"No!" Noodle jumped back when something flew away from the two creatures and bounced off the ground in front of her. She peered at it when it rolled to a halt. It was Evangelist's mask. _Am I going to regret this? _She turned to the white robed being. Not what she was expecting. A fishbowl, a _fishbowl, _with water sloshing around, spilling over the rim. A thing, aquatic in nature...hopefully, with several eyes, possibly her eyes, resided inside.

Taking the moment of Evangelist's stunned form, the Boogieman swung his arm against the fishbowl. The white robed being tipped backward onto the dirty ground, the rest of the water spilling out. The aquatic creature inside flopped around weakly and the body didn't rise. Noodle picked up the mask and rushed over, stopping when the Boogieman swiped at her.

"Now!" 2D launched himself on the dark entity, thin legs wrapped around the skeletal chest. In his hands was a length of chain, which he used to choke his victim. Russel stood at the ready, another chain in his grasp. Noodle glanced across landfill, sighing in relief when she saw Primrose, with Rory, and Joel taking shelter. Her heart ached to join them. Murdoc had gotten Cyan to her feet and was transporting her to her siblings.

_Water! We need water! _She began searching the trash piles, which were getting smaller by the minute. Her heart soared when she found some tin cans filled with rain water. Holding the precious items to her chest, she rushed back and began dumping them in the fishbowl, the little creature inside settling as the water rose to the rim. Evangelist sat up and graciously accepted the mask. Noodle helped her place it back on, realizing the right lens was shattered now to match the Boogieman's left one.

" 'Elp!" The Boogieman slipped his hand under the chain, flinging 2D off his back. Russel heaved his chain so it crashed into the dark entity, wrapping itself around him. 2D bounced and skidded toward one of the chasms. "Stop!" he shouted, sliding to a halt, one leg in the abyss. "Oh 'fank yew God," he rested his head on the ground.

"Get away!" said Russel. He let go of the chain and started back toward Murdoc and the children. Noodle started after him, but stopped when she realized Cyborg's body was sliding toward one of the chasms. Gasping loudly, she scrambled to grab the robot and dragged her away. 2D appeared beside her and heaved the body onto his shoulder. "Hurry!" Russel called to them. Murdoc got a panicked look on his face. He opened his mouth to voice his warning.

It came too late.

The Boogieman slammed himself, feet-first, to the ground, causing a tremor that shook the rest of the trash into the abyss. The landfill was clean. It also blew the people escaping his wrath across the ground. He stood up in center of it all, casting his gaze around at his victims. He had his choice. He could do anything now. And he chose.

Several things happened at once. The Boogieman stooped to grab the kids sheltered under a rocky over hang. 2D dropped Cyborg and bolted forward, only dwarfed in speed by Noodle's panicking pace. Russel started running forward, ready to rip apart the entity with his bare hands. Evangelist started leaping across the cracks. The children screamed in terror. And a single voice rang out.

"I'm done!"

The Boogieman halted and slowly turned to Murdoc. The man was panting hard, his broken and swollen arm hung loosely at his side.

"Leave 'em alone! I'm done runnin'! I ain' got no place ta call 'ome anyway, not anymore! Yew came fer meh soul, so take ih an' leave!"

"Misteh Muhdoc," Cyan whispered, tears dripping down her face.

The dark entity and Satanist faced each other, their gazes never wavering. Murdoc was unarmed, he was giving up. And the Boogieman realized this. He stepped forward slowly, either still cautious or relishing in his victory. He towered over the man, placing a hand on the Satanist's forehead.

"Goodbye," said Murdoc, betraying no emotion.

It happened so fast. The Boogieman ripped his hand away and a light film left Murdoc's body and collected into a small ball in the creature's hand. The vessel crumpled and fell to the ground. Murdoc was dead. The Boogieman flexed his arms, invigorated with a new found strength in his accomplishment. Evangelist stood across from him, Murdoc's body lying between them. The Boogieman looked around at each person, then stooped once more toward the children.

"No!" they all screamed.

He dragged Cyan out by the hair, the child kicking and screaming in her terror. "Lemme go, lemme go! Yer debt's been paid!" She managed to grab her knife and stabbed it into his arm. He yanked her upward and placed a hand on her forehead. Rory screeched loudly in fear, even though he had no idea what was going on. Joel and Primrose huddled closer, unable to act in this situation. Primrose had grabbed the hem of Cyan's shirt, but what courage she had mustered failed her.

"Put 'er down!" 2D charged at the dark figure. The Boogieman reached his hand out to catch the man.


	30. Slowboat

Slowboat

I have changed my name to something different, no real reason why, just wanted to. I've seen people do it before. I have my own personal stories that I am currently writing up and the Strawberry Phoenix is a minor character, but for some reason, all my friends are obsessed with her. She's an albino phoenix.

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>"Poke 'im again."<p>

A sharp jab in the cheek woke his nervous system. 2D shot up, yelping in confusion. His vision was incredibly blurry, almost as mush as it had been the day he awoke from his coma. His head was throbbing horribly. _Where're meh pills? I 'fink I'm gonna puke. _He felt a pressure on each of his head, but he couldn't tell if it was actually his hands pressing his skull. There was a whooshing sound in his ears. _But didn' I 'ear somebody speakin' earlier? _He strained his ears, picking up some sounds that could be voices.

"Yew in there?" said a voice.

"Don' be dumb, o' course 'e's in there!" scolded another voice in a lighter pitch. "Ih takes a bit ta wake up, ya know?"

2D rocked himself forward and balanced on his knees. He supported himself on his hands and slowly rose upward. His legs gave out and he collapsed with a thump. _Wot 'appened? Where am I? _He brushed his fingers against the ground, realizing the feeling was coming back in them. _T'is is...grass. I'm not in te landfill no more. Or wos t'ere grass in te landfill?_

"Please don' 'urt yerself," pleaded the lighter voice.

_A girl...a young girl._

"Open yer eyes," a different voice from the others instructed.

_Meh eyes are closed? _His lids parted, confirming what the voice had said. _I must've closed 'em. _Things were still blurred, but not as badly. He could make out three shapes, leaning down to look at him. _Concentrate...concentrate, _he thought to himself. His vision cleared. "Annalise?" he said, shocked to recognize the small girl.

"Tha's right," she replied. She looked radiant compared to the last, and only, time he had seen her. A cheerful smile, her eyes bright and clear, and her luminous blue hair falling out around her shoulders. "There're some others yew need ta meet." She gestured to the other figures. Boys, one had blue hair, the other, purple. He recognized them from the only time he'd seen them. From two photographs.

"Charlie? Thomas? Wot's goin' on?"

"Wot's goin' on is a simple factor," said Charlie smartly. "Yer dead!"

"No he's not!" said yet another voice, sounding from somewhere 2D couldn't see at the moment.

" 'E's close!" argued Thomas. "Why else wewd 'e be 'ere? Vacation? Smarten up, Gabriel!"

Gabriel traveled into his father's line of sight. "You smarten up! We're here for a reason. He's not dead! The grown-ups say so."

"T'ere's three o' 'em! An' wot do t'ey know? Jus' 'cause t'ey've been dead longeh, tha' makes 'em experts?"

"It does actually," said a much deeper voice, immediately quieting the boy. "Good to see ya, 2D."

2D rubbed his dents furiously. _T'is can' be 'appenin'. _"Del?"

The familiar, transparent, blue ghost smiled and waved. "In the fle-...disregard that las' comment." He shrugged his shoulders. "Glad to see ya among the dead."

"Why are yew glad?"

"Well...how else am I gonna see ya anymore? Death took meh spirit."

"T'en why are yew 'ere?"

"To meet up with you! Same with yer kids, an' that kid, an' that woman. This place doesn' look familiar at all?"

For the first time, 2D completely took in his surroundings. It explained the whooshing noises. Slowboat, in complete tact, was drifting through the sky, past lazy clouds. A gentle breeze made the grasses dance and the leaves of the trees sing. The blades were rising and falling in a continuous cycle. And in his observations, he spied Cyan. His desperation kicked into high gear. Although his body was still not functioning right, he scrambled over to the still mass.

"Calm down, Stuart," said a soothing voice. A young woman was leaning over Cyan, her fingers brushing against the child's hair. The woman herself had fair skin and deep auburn hair. Her voice was lilting with a strong Irish accent. "She'll be fine. She's jus' takin' a little longer to respond."

He exhaled slowly. "Okay...who are yew t'en?"

"Wow," she shook her head, "I knew you were thick, but c'mon! You don't remember me? You don't recognize me in yeh daughter's face?"

His mouth hung agape. "Yer 'er mother?"

"Aye. But you don't recall meh name?"

"No..." he hung his head.

She chuckled. "Not surprisin' in the least. I am Bree Connell."

"Please ta remember ya."

"I wish this could be a happier reunion."

"Wot'cha mean?"

"I'm dead."

Before he could respond, they were both greeted by a heavenly sound. "Mummy!" Cyan shot upward and wrapped her thin arms around her mother's neck. "Yer 'ere! Wait-" she let go, "why are yew 'ere? Where are we? Da'?"

"Yer moment in time an' space cannot be confirmed," said a voice. "But yew are very lucky ta be 'ere."

Cyan gasped. "Tha's trippy."

Standing before them, casual as if this were birthday party, stood a man. A very young man, probably just out of childhood from the looks of it. He had blue eyes and blue hair combed over one side of his face.

"Holy fuck," said 2D, not even considering that five of his children were present. "Yer...yer me!"

"Stuart Pot, at yer service," he replied. "An' no, I'm not yew. I am simply te yew yew wewd 'ave been if Muhdoc 'adn' come crashin' inta yer life."

"An' yet, sometimes I feel I wewd've been betteh off."

"Don' say tha'," Stuart shook his head. "Fer one, I'm not famous. An' otheh reasons, I'm not married an' I don' 'ave kids."

"Cewd somebody please explain t'is?" Cyan asked.

"Ih's weird, isn' ih?" Gabriel grinned.

Bree patted her daughter on the back, urging her to get up. "Go play." Cyan's siblings dragged her into the windmill to explore, more interested in their surroundings than in anything the adults had to talk about. "You won't be here long," Bree assured 2D. "You'll go back soon."

"Is t'is, like, a near death experience?" he asked.

"Somethin' of the sort, you're not dead," said Del. "When Sun Moon Stars tried to take Cyan, you attacked him. Thankfully, he was interrupted b'fore he could take both your souls."

"By who?"

"Death," Stuart stated. " 'E came ta yer rescue. Ya see, Sun Moon Stars is 'is servant, as is ta otheh one."

"Evangelist?"

"Yeah. T'ey both serve Death. An' 'e's not above lettin' Sun Moon Stars take a few souls fer 'imself, but when ih gets outta 'and, 'e comes ta te rescue. Yer still alive, as is Cyan...ih's sorta like yer respawnin'. Death's sortin' ih out. We were sent 'ere ta explain awl o' t'is."

"Why Slowboat?"

"I don' know, but I like ih."

"I 'ad a dream like t'is once!" Cyan and her siblings piled out the entrance to the windmill. "Not ta windmill, but flyin'! I wos free!" She started running around in the grass, chased by her brothers and sister. "An' now fer ta true Dream! When we wake up, we'll realize ih."

"Wot do'ya mean, love?" asked 2D.

"Te Dream! Didn' yew read te note left on yer door?"

"So tha' wos yew."

"Yep. Te Dream is comin' true. My Dream, a family." She sighed, hands placed on her chest. "I dreamed o' leavin' meh old life behind, awl te torment I suffered. I saw a family, where I cewd be 'appy an' not afraid of every move I made. Yew are tha' Dream. Yew an' Noodle an' Russel an' Cyborg an' Joel an' Primrose an' Rory an' Ferdinand an'..." she paused, a look of despair crossing her face. "An', I believed fer a while, Misteh Muhdoc." She turned to her mother. "Yew were a part too."

Bree shook her head. "No...I'm not. It can never be. Listen to me, Aishling," she kneeled down to be at eye level with her daughter, "I don't exist anymore. I am not a part o' your Dream. And once you give me up, it will be realized."

"I cewd neveh ferget yew!"

"I'm not askin' you to forget me, jus' simply let me go. Ní féidir leis an marbh páirt a ghlacadh leis an maireachtála." (Translation: The dead cannot play a part with the living.)

"Impigh mé a bheith éagsúil," the child argued back. (Translation: I beg to differ.) "Lewk at Del!"

"Look me in the eyes," Bree took Cyan's hands in her own. "Your Dream is the top priority, an' when you let me go, your heart is free." She reach upward to Cyan's neck and hooked her necklace chain by a finger. "Ceadaigh dom an dul." (Translation: Let me go.)

The child sniffled as she unhooked the chain and gave it to her mother. She kept the pendant pressed tightly in her hand. "I don' wont ta leave yew."

"You are in safe hands." She pulled something else from her pocket and pressed it into her daughter's hand.

"An' are te othehs as well?" 2D asked, looking over at his daughter and sons, sheltered in the shadow of Stuart.

"Aye, they'll be jus' fine. I believe people only fear Death because they don't know where they'll end up. Other than that, there's nothin' to be afraid of."

2D nodded in agreement. Suddenly he felt very light headed and swayed on his feet. He looked down at his hands and realized something that would have frightened him out of his wits if he wasn't already informed. His hands were fading.

"Lewks like yer being cawled back," said Stuart.

"Where do yew go? Yer not dead."

"T'ere is a place fer me. Yew wewd not believe 'ow many othehs t'ere are."

"See ya, 'D," said Del.

Cyan stood beside her father and took his fading hand. The fingers of her other hand were closed tightly around the pendant. The others waved goodbye, knowing they would probably never meet again until the time came for the living to join them. Cyan began to sing softly. "Mhuilinn gaoithe, mhuilinn ghaoithe, chun an talamh a. Cas go deo, lámh ar láimh." (Translation: Windmill, windmill, for the land. Turn forever, hand in hand.)

* * *

><p>There was a light pressure on his chest. 2D struggled for air. His airways felt blocked up, so he tried to cough. The pressure left when his body convulsed. Something warm yet damp pressed against his cheek. His ears were full of buzzing, but he could make out a desperate voice. "Stuart? Are you okay? Speak to me!"<p>

_Noodle! _He frantically searched for his voice. _Ferget about breathin'! Let me make a sound! _A burbling groan escaped his lips, but it was enough. A pair of hands sat him up. His head began spinning and he started dry heaving, but that just seemed to wake him up even more. His airways untightened and he began breathing evenly. His eyes opened. Noodle, Rory rested against her chest, was knelt before him, her bloodshot eyes searching into his soul. When she realized he was okay, she started crying all over again.

"Ih's alright, love." 2D put a hand on her cheek. "I'm okay. But tha' wos some freaky dream."

"Da'," Cyan croaked. She was sitting a few feet away, Joel and Primrose by her side. "Ih wosn' wot yew 'fink." She opened her hand, revealing the charm and the object that her mother had gifted her. "Te chain is gone." She unwrapped this new gift, revealing an old-fashion key and a scrap of paper as the wrapping.

_Ih really 'appened! _"Wow..." he couldn't say anything else. The landfill was empty of all trash now. The ground was healed up, leaving the entire place a barren hillside. Not pretty, but much better than what it used to be. The dark clouds from before had parted, revealing it to be just past sunset, so the sky was still light. He looked around, spying Cyborg's body lying on her side, and Murdoc, set on his back with his hands folded on his chest. _Someone must've moved 'im. _2D rose to his feet, thankful that Russel was there to support his shaking frame.

"He sacrificed himself for us," said Noodle, tucking Rory's bloody blanket around him. "So we could survive. 'None can survive until the debt is paid. Only through his soul can those whom he sees with affection be left to live'. I guess he really did care about us."

_Yew old bastard, _2D choked back some tears. He collapsed to his knees in front of the body. "I 'ated yew fer te longest time, an' I'm sure te feelin' wos mutual. But I guess yew 'ad a 'eart in t'ere somewhere afteh awl."

Three shadows passed over them. They all looked up and shouted in terror, backing away frantically. "Halt," said the central figure. "We mean you no harm." The Grim Reaper, Death, flanked by the Boogieman, who looked sullen, and the Evangelist. "What has taken place here should have never been done. Those children were not meant to die."

"T'en why did yew let 'im do ih? !" 2D jabbed a finger at the Boogieman. "Answer me tha'!"

The black cloaked figure bowed to him, causing Russel to gasp. "I can only hope you accept my deepest apologies. You see, both Sun Moon Stars and Evangelist are my servants. Sun Moon Stars collects payments people have made to the Two Lords After Death. And I don't mind him taking a soul or two for himself. However, what has happened now has happened before in the past. And it was for that very reason that I created Evangelist, to keep him in check. Murdoc's broken psyche drew her to him, and Sun Moons Stars' involvement kept her close. Now I see she has found someone new to call her master." He gestured to Cyan.

"Y-yer not mad, are yew?" she stammered.

"Of course not. Evangelist has recognized many people she deems worthy over history. She serves under them until their life is up and personally escorts them to the after life. Her influences have also aided them in making a difference in the world. Some of those people, even you may be familiar with their names and exploits. But it has been so very long since she has found someone. Murdoc Niccals was never her master."

"So what does this mean?" Russel asked.

"No harm done," Death shrugged his shoulders. "Sun Moon Stars had been brought in check," the figure flinched when his master stated this, "and you are no longer in any danger. It is very unfortunate what has befallen your children, Stuart Pot, but I can only offer my apologies and hope you will forgive me for letting this happen."

"I fo'gave yew when yew saved me an' Cyan."

"Then all is well. I take my leave."

"Wait!" Cyan broke away from her siblings and rushed forward. "Wot about Misteh Muhdoc? Surely yew can do somefink?"

"That is not for me to decide. You are lucky I managed to bring you and your father away from the Beyond. Farewell." He faded away, leaving his servants behind. Amazingly, the Boogieman bowed his head to Cyan and cast her knife, which had been previously buried in his arm, at her feet before disappearing as well.

_You have gained his admiration, _Evangelist wrote on her whiteboard. Erase. _He sees you as an equal now._

_'The two servants of the Souls will bow to a new master who bears the scars of both', _thought Noodle. _'One, her servant', _she looked at Cyan's arm, _'the other, her assailant', _then at Cyan's shoulder. "What did he mean, the Beyond?"

" 'E kept us from dyin'," 2D explained. "We were dead, t'en we weren'."

"We were neveh dead," said Cyan. "More like spiritual clairvoyance."

_'And he who brought forth eight souls will go where none have gone and returned.' Cortez was right about everything, he just voiced it through Primrose. _"Cortez," she whispered.

"Can yew do somefink fer Misteh Muhdoc?" Cyan asked Evangelist.

_That is not my decision. _Erase. _If I recall his soul, _Erase, _then the Lord After Death under, _Erase,_ whom he resides can decide whether, _Erase, _or not he is worthy to return._

"Lord After Death?" said Russel.

_You go Up, or Down. Either way, _Erase, _there is a reigning Lord._

"Where do yew 'fink Misteh Muhdoc is?" No one needed to answer that. _Ih cewd be possible 'e made ih Up. Tha' las' act on Earth wos a pretty good soul saver. _"Cewd yew try? Please?"

_Very well, but there is no guarantee. _She pressed her hands against the man's chest. The others huddled together, watching for any sign of the man waking. He remained still.

_Please, _Cyan pleaded in her head. _'E died fer us, please let ih be enough._

Evangelist stood up and grabbed her whiteboard. _I believe you are in luck. _Murdoc started coughing violently. He rolled on his stomach and rose to his hands and knees. His body shook from the effort, but he was alive.

"Misteh Muhdoc!" Cyan flung herself upon him, bowling him over. "Yer alive!"

"Murdoc!" Noodle wrapped her free arm around his neck in a pseudo-hug. "You are an amazing person!"

"Great job!" Russel applauded.

"Wot 'appened?" Murdoc asked. "Yer all bein' nice ta me."

"Yew..." 2D wiped his eyes, "yew really care enough about us ta sacrifice yerself."

"Yeah...I guess I do." Murdoc suddenly glared at the blue haired man. "But don' think I'll be doin' ih again, fuckface!"

"O' course Muhdoc, o' course."

"Aw man," the Satanist spied Cyborg's body, "tha'll be a project."

" 'Ey mum," they all turned to see Joel was on his cellphone. "No...I'm alright, listen, cewd yew get a ride ta the 'ospital ta fit eight people?"

* * *

><p>"We now go live ta this breakin' news."<p>

"Supernatural spectrum? Well, we don' know 'ow ta explain ih. Mere 'ours ago, a pillar o' smoke wos risin' outta the old landfill tha' 'oused Kong Studios. We 'ave this exclusive footage an' interview from a group o' witnesses."

"Ih wos incredible!" said one of the kids. "I caught ih all on meh phone! The ground broke apart an' trash was fallin' in. There wos a giant, furry, black thing runnin' around with the people. Two figures, one in white an' the other in black, were fightin' like nothin' I've ever seen! Then there were the people, they jus' ran out after ih wos all done, 'ightailin' ih up the road!"

"The people 'ave been confirmed as the band Gorillaz, which broke up years ago, an' whose singer, Stuart Pot aka 2D, 'as been the subject o' a murder case regardin' 'is illegitimate children. The fanbase an' collaborators are now backin' up their claim about supernatural forces bein' behind ih, an' now, ih seems they 'ave proof with this video."

"Nothin' is confirmed jus' yet," said a detective. "But we're sortin' all this out an' we'll get back ta yew once ih is."

* * *

><p>gimme feedback on my new name please. If nobody likes it, I'll change it back. This is sorta experimental<p> 


	31. Remembrance

Remembrance

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>Today was very important. Maybe the most important day of their lives. The fate of the future was held so much in this day. What took place now would influence their lives forevermore. Seven families would be arriving to Valleyridge and they were coming on a mission. They had been called. And even though, for most of them, it was in grief, but it had to be done. Words had to be exchanged and people had to be known.<p>

2D would be lying if he said he wasn't nervous. He was an absolute wreck, both emotionally and physically. Nothing like apologizing to the families of your dead children while covered in anti-bacterial cream and band-aids. And the phone calls he'd sent out weren't exactly the sort of thing he wanted them to think of him, so this first impression was everything.

"Everything's going to be alright," Noodle reassured him. "Everyone's treated, Cyborg's body is stored away, Cyan's not summoning Evangelist, we'll appear normal."

"T'ey'll pro'lly awl 'ate me anyway."

"The real story's out now, you never did anything. This meeting will seal that truth."

"An' if Rosie's parents an' Joel's mum like me enough, maybe t'ey'll let 'em visit."

"Another good conclusion."

"Someone's here," said Russel. The three of them left the kitchen and went outside, but 2D refused to leave the run. The car wasn't too fancy looking, but it was obviously a family car. A man and woman got out, followed by a pre-teen girl and two little boys.

"Thomas's aunt an' uncle an' cousins," Cyan whispered. She had snuck up behind them from the back yard, where she, Murdoc, and Primrose had been waiting.

The family took notice of them in the run and the adults cautiously approached them, keeping themselves positioned as shields for their children. When they stood face-to-face with 2D, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the picture of his mutilated son. When the two were presented with this, they started crying. The woman hugged it to her chest. "Tommy," she sobbed. "I miss 'im so much!"

"I wish I cewd've got ta know 'im," said 2D. "We 'ave chairs set up in te back. Cyan, please take 'em." The girl proceeded to do so. The backyard was set up with several chairs in a circle around the pit. Murdoc was sitting on the cinder block with Ferdinand resting at his feet. Primrose was rocking back and forth on the swing, the motion calming Rory, who was in her arms.

_Why do I feel mad tha' today is so sunny? _Cyan wondered. _Because I'm so sad? _

2D recognized the woman climbing out of the next car. She rushed at him, like she wanted to punch him, but her husband grabbed her arm and whispered something to her. "Bailey," 2D spoke up, but he couldn't figure out what else to say. He gave them the picture of Charlie and directed them out back. The next car presented an elderly couple. He greeted them as Gabriel's grandparents.

The one after that was a little more heartening. The woman didn't wait for the car to come to complete halt when she jumped out. "Where's Primrose? ! Where's meh daughter? !" Her husband joined her and they eagerly followed Russel out back.

"Mummy! Daddy!" Cyan quickly took the infant from her sister's arms so she could run and embrace her adoptive parents. "I missed yew so much!" But her elation in the reunion wasn't enough to stop her from introducing her other siblings. "This is Cyan an' our new baby brother, Rory. I wos there when 'e wos born."

Joel and his mother arrived next. The boy was eager enough to mask his mother's disdain about being here, but she seemed happy that _he_ was happy overall. She raised her middle finger at 2D before disappearing to the backyard.

"What a lovely woman," said Noodle through gritted teeth.

Next came a man in business attire, accompanied by his wife. They were trying to appear professional, but their grief was emanating from their bodies. "I'm sorry about my comment in the newspaper, I wos mournin'," said Simon Robins. "I never would 'ave expected the truth ta be so... intriguing."

"I don't think any of us did," said Noodle, directing them through the run. She grabbed 2D's sleeve when he wouldn't follow. "That's all of them, Stuart. Let's join them."

"Not yet, ih's not awl o' 'em." He remained firmly in the spot. "Two othehs are comin'. I 'ave ta wait fer 'em." Noodle was ready to voice her question, but one last car pulling up alongside the others answered it for her. Two people stepped out. For moment, Noodle was confused why Gabriel's grandparents had circled around in their car, but she specifically remembered them walking by her in the run. No, these were two other people.

" 'Ello Mum, Da'," said 2D, waving them up to the house.

"Stuart!" the woman strangled her son into a big bear hug, causing him to sputter and choke. She didn't seem to take notice. "Noodle? Li'le Noodle, is tha' yew? Yew wos jus' a pipsqueak te last time I saw yew! Yer awl grown up now!"

"And a bit more than that." She joined her hand with 2D's when the poor man was released. "It's wonderful to see you two again."

"Wotever 'appened ta yew, love?" asked David. "We followed te fanbase ta keep an eye on Stuart, but yew jus' disappeared off te globe! An' tha' robot!"

"Um-yeah," she weakly smiled, "could you...not mention the cyborg around these people? Or...anything from our past, really? Today is very crucial to our future with the kids."

"Kids!" Rachel Pot squealed softly. "I spoke wiff one, but she didn' talk long. Snagged yer phone, she did."

"Tha' wewd be Cyan," said 2D. "I 'fink yew'll get a real kick outta 'er, once te mood o' t'is visit 'as passed." He paused for a few moments. "Maybe yew cewd come back an' get ta know 'er a bit betteh anotheh time, I don' 'fink she'll open up much right now."

"An' tha's quite alright. She speaks in Cockney. Did yew teach 'er tha'?"

"She never told us," Noodle answered, "but I think she taught herself."

Russel appeared behind them. "We doin' this or what?"

"Yes-yes, we're coming." They walked through the run and out back. Everyone had settled around, yet some were standing, like they were afraid to get comfortable or be close to anyone here. Murdoc had made a point in actually picking up the cinder block and moving it so he could lean his back against the house, further away from everyone. Noodle couldn't help but notice that someone had deposited Rory in his lap. He wasn't holding him like one was supposed to hold an infant, but the baby didn't seem bothered. She swooped down to gather him in her arms. "This is Rory," she presented the child to his grandparents.

" 'E's adorable!" Rachel cooed. "An' 'e lewks an awful lot like...yew." She lifted her head to look Noodle right in the eyes. "Are yew...?"

"Yes, I'm his mother. Stuart and I are married."

"Welcome ta te family, love!" She threw Noodle into a hug, but significantly looser than 2D's, keeping in mind of the baby between them. David inched toward his son and winked at him, causing 2D to look away with a grin on his face.

"We're sorry we never told you-"

"Tha's awlright. I'm jus' so 'appy!"

Primrose and Cyan watched the odd display with looks of slight amusement. It was hard to not be sullen today. But at least Rachel's affection for her son, daughter-in-law, and grandson cheered them up, if only a little. _I am anticipatin' great Christmas presents, _Cyan couldn't help thinking.

"Well everyone," 2D started speaking, "ih's great ta meet yew awl, I jus' wish ih were under betteh terms. I...I've made a lot o' mistakes in meh past an' t'ese kids weren' meant ta be 'ere at awl. But...I'm sorta glad t'ey are." He gestured for Cyan to join him in front of everyone. "T'is girl taught me 'ow ta grow up. I learned tha' I cewd be a true role model tha' people wewd wont ta lewk up to. Reject False Icons." He shrugged his shoulders. "I realize tha' I can' make up fer meh mistakes, but I can try. To everyone 'ere, who were te role models o' meh kids, I am 'appy to 'ave met yew. An' I'm sure tha' I wewd be proud o' meh children if I knew 'em betteh."

"But yew were never there!" snapped Joel's mother.

"I know," he held his hands up for defense. "But I wont ta start. Wiff yer..." he paused, looking for the right word.

"Consent," said Cyan.

"Right. Wiff yer consent, I wewd like ta set up a joint custody-"

"Like 'ell yew will!"

Primrose's mother covered her daughter's ears. Thomas's cousins all flinched and sheltered by their parents. Even Cyan was slightly aghast. _Won' t'ey even give 'im a chance?_

"Okay," Russel spoke up, "I know ya still see Stuart as the man who ran out on ya, but he's makin' an effort! He wants to get to know his kids. He regretful o' what he's done."

"We're doin' ih," said Primrose's father. "Rosie begged us ta, an' I think Mister Pot 'as a right."

"I still don' like ih," said Joel's mother. The boy looked on in slight disappointment.

"Awlright lady, listen 'ere." Murdoc stood up and swaggered over. "This man, I saw this man dive 'eadlong inta the unknown jus' ta rescue yer kid, 'is kid."

"An yew did too," Cyan whispered.

" 'E risked 'is life, an' now yer sayin' 'e's not worthy enough ta see 'is son on terms yew'll both agree on?"

"I agree with 'im," said Simon Robins. "I always 'ad a feelin' Annalise knew she wos adopted, she wewd've wanted ta get ta know 'er biological father."

"Gabriel too," said the boy's grandparents.

"An' Thomas," said the boy's aunt and uncle.

Charlie's mother looked a little cross, but nodded her head in agreement. "I wewd've let Charlie come as well."

Joel's mother looked furious now, but she glanced at the forlorn look on her son's face. "Fine, I'll talk with yew over joint custody."

Cyan took the reigns now. "Overawl, I'd jus' like ta say, I don' 'fink we shewd gatheh like t'is again."

"What?" said Noodle. "This was your idea."

"An' I'm glad we did ih, but 'fink about ih. Do we really wont ta mourn 'em? Tear our 'earts apart 'finkin' about te kids tha' aren' 'ere anymore? T'ose o' us tha' knew 'em will always remember 'em, but I don' wont us ta mourn. Remember 'em as t'ey were, not fer 'ow t'ey died."

"Cewdn't phrase ih any better!" said Murdoc.

"Is tha' really wot yew wont?" asked 2D.

"Ih is," she nodded. "I don' wont us ta be sad anymore. I wont us ta be 'appy. I wont meh Dream."

"An' I," he picked her up and set her on his shoulders, "will go to te ends o' te Earth ta make ih 'appen."

* * *

><p>my brother just bought me a Gorillaz shirt from hot Topic. thanks big bro!<p> 


	32. Aishling

Aishling

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>"I don' like ih!" 2D complained. The others took to ignoring him as of late, since he voiced his disapproval repeatedly as this fateful day drew closer. He could complain all he wanted, but that didn't mean it wasn't going to happen. In fact, when one complained, it seemed the object of their disapproval drew closer and closer with increased speed.<p>

"Quit it," Noodle scolded him, an affectionate tone in her voice. "You knew it was going to happen. You knew last year when she turned twelve."

"But I don' wont 'er ta grow up! She needs ta stay li'le...she's meh daughter. I didn' get ta know 'er when she wos real li'le an' now 'er growin' up is gonna take 'er from me."

"Have you forgotten your son?" she glanced quickly at the toddler, but saw he was under Cortez's steady gaze and Rachel Pot's never-ending doting. Rory waddled around in the grass, eagerly chasing Cortez in his raven form, which the poor demon-bird wasn't very happy with. The child stumbled and fell, but got right back up, a wide smile poking around his pacifier. He gave up on Cortez and went after Ferdinand who, with a stored memory of tail-pulling, got up from his place and trotted off. Rory looked a little disheartened until his grandmother coaxed him with a cookie.

2D had joined Noodle in watching the antics of the toddler. "I wewd neveh fo'get 'im. But Cyan wos 'ere firs'. An' Rosie an' Joel only get ta come 'ere a weekend ev'ry month an' two separate sets o' two weeks in te summer." He threw his hands up in frustration. "She's not ready ta be a teenager!"

"You don't know that. There's a lot about her that we still don't know. And some things that she would prefer be kept secret. Stuart," she turned his head so he would look at her, "she never truly had a childhood. She was an adult when she came to us. All we can do is encourage her to function in normal patterns for a girl her age." She let go of his face. "And she hasn't even hit puberty yet," she muttered at the end, but he didn't hear.

Primrose tumbled out of the house, her ponytail in a disarray. She happily bounced over to the picnic table and munched on some chips. Rachel Pot fought against her urges, but finally gave in and fixed her grand-daughter's hair. David watched from a nearby chair, smirking. He, of course, felt the incredible need to spoil these children as well, but he didn't dote like his wife. He liked to joke with Joel about the suffocation that the boy and his half-siblings often suffered whenever Rachel came around.

It was a sunny afternoon in early August. The air was warm and flower-scented with the nearby garden. Birds were chirping happily, coupled with a few of Cortez's squawks. This day was perfect for the celebration of Cyan thirteenth birthday. Everything was perfect...almost. The birthday girl wasn't too happy, slouching in her lawn chair.

"Sad faces make fer sad days," said Joel, hooking his fingers to the corners of his lips and pulling them into an over-exaggerated frown.

"Stop tryin' ta make a Confucius quote. Ih doesn't work like tha'."

"Wot'chu sad about?"

"Misteh Muhdoc isn' 'ere."

"Ah," Joel scratched his chin. "I noticed ih wos too balanced 'round 'ere. 'E isn' 'ere ta raise 'ell." He meant that humorously. Hell was where Murdoc had gone to get Cortez back after the showdown in the landfill over a year ago. He brought them back pictures. After leaving Cortez here, he left with Cyborg's body and traveled around the United Kingdom. She was working once more, obvious from messages, via e-mail or phone call, and pictures that were sent. She missed them and always talked with Noodle for hours about Rory's development and new things that she learned.

2D's parents and the Norsbys were the only ones that were eager that Murdoc wasn't here. Noodle, 2D, Russel, and the kids however, felt empty. Sure, the man had been dropping in and out of their lives for this past year, but they always kept the memory of what he did in their hearts. He was vulgar, he was violent, he stank to high heaven, but he would give his life for them. He always grimaced when he accidentally timed his arrival with that of Primrose and Joel, but stammered through the visit. He still wasn't used to all the kids at once. He mostly ignored Rory since ' 'e can' do much', but the toddler was oddly fascinated by the man.

But it wasn't just the man's absence, it was something bigger. He _promised _he was going to show up. Though 2D, Noodle, and Russel knew Murdoc to be the kind to easily forget a promise made, and to forget a set date unless money, booze, or women were involved. But he did always keep his promises to Cyan. She begged him to find Cortez, he set out as soon as he could move his arm. She asked him to stop saying specific words around Rory, he toned down on his insults to 2D. She told him to wear pants in the house on his visits, he'd grumble, but he'd do it. He never went back on a promise to Cyan, and, though to a much lesser extent, Joel and Primrose.

" 'E cewd be jus' late," said Joel. His mellow personality made him the perfect mediator for any situation.

Cyan sighed. "I guess."

"The birthday girl's not supposed to be sad on her special day," said Russel.

" 'E promised 'e'd come, Russel! 'E said 'e'd be 'ere! 'E _promised!_"

"The sun's sayin' the day's about up," he nodded toward the golden orb that was slowly slipping away. "I'm sure he meant to show up. Maybe he jus' miscalculated his distance from us."

"Maybe..." she slouched in her chair.

"Ya wanna finish this party up?"

She slowly slid off her seat, her countenance in complete depression. She wandered to the table, where the final part of this ancient ritual was still placed. Noodle watched the young teen, slowing shaking her head in disappointment. "I honestly believed in you, Murdoc. You probably just ruined this poor girl's birthday."

"Did I now?" Noodle yelped when she heard that familiar gravelly voice speak right in her ear. She ended up leaping at 2D, who managed to semi-catch her. Murdoc laughed at her angry face. "Ya can' show up right on time! Keep the crowd waitin'."

"Cuttin' it a little close, don'cha think?" said Russel.

"Jus' a bit, mate, didn' mean fer ih ta be tha' close." He shrugged his shoulders. "But I promised the runt I'd be 'ere an' I'll be damned if I break tha' promise."

"Yew neveh did anyfink like t'is fer us," 2D complained.

"Let's jus' say I'm a sucker fer kids." Cyan sprang from her seat and rushed over to tightly hug the man with an amount of affection for him that it seemed only she could muster. 2D's parents both glared at him, and no one could object. This man had maimed their son permanently; however, he also saved their son and grand-children's lives. Overall, he was a disgusting excuse for a human being. Their feelings were torn.

"But you complain so often," Cyborg, garbed in much brighter and cheery-looking clothing then normal, appeared in the run. Noodle almost squealed happily,but managed to contain her joy enough to simply hug her robotic twin. The last time she'd seen her, the robot's body had been broken and covered in oil. Whenever Murdoc visited, he always claimed that Cyborg was still damaged and couldn't be activated yet. "I am happy to be here."

"And hopefully, you'll be staying," the woman whispered softly, pulling away. Cyborg seemed confused by the words, but nodded anyway.

"So runt," said Murdoc, " 'ow's ih feel ta be thirteen?"

"Ih's nice so far," she responded. "Maybe now Da' will let me wotch Lord o' te Rings." She suddenly reached out and snagged his hand. "We got somefink ta show yew!" Eager as a little kid instead of a teenager, she led him to the far side of the garage. There, displaying a sort of grandeur far exceeding that of what it actually was, stood a brand new Winnebago. "We wonted ta get te old one, but no one wonted ta go in te studios," Cyan explained. "D'ya like ih?"

His eyes were narrowed, but it was in thought. "An' why is this 'ere?"

"Murdoc," Noodle moved so she was in front of him, "we have something very important to ask you. Do you...really have any long-term place that you've been staying at?"

" 'Ere an' there."

"No," Cyborg whispered softly.

"Well," Noodle continued, "it's obvious that the band is over- it's over!" she emphasized when he opened his mouth. "So now we're going to spend our lives like normal people." She ignored him when he scoffed. "And as any normal people, especially those with children, we take care of our own. We've all talked it over," 2D's parents grumbled at this, "and we were wondering...if you would be Cyan's godfather."

The Satanist gave her a funny look of disbelief. "Wot'chu sayin'?"

"If somefink were ta 'appen ta me an' Noodle," said 2D, "yew wewd gain custody oveh Cyan."

"I know wot ih means stupid! Ain' yew terrified tha' I'll influence 'er?"

"Tha' 'fought occurred, but we know tha' yew'll do anyfink ta protect 'er. Joel an' Rosei are awlready taken care of wiff t'eir otheh families an' Rory goes ta Russel. So, d'ya accept?"

He exhaled slowly, glancing to the brand new Winnebago, to Cyan, to the other kids, and finally to 2D and Noodle. Certain thoughts were running through his head. He could finally stop traveling, cities and banks were catching onto him. Life wasn't too bad back at Kong, but there had only been one kid there, and no babies. No doubt the Pots would be visiting often to see their grandchildren. And he would be neighbors with Mister Christofferson, and he was sure that man had it out for him. "Eh...fine, I'll stick around."

"Uncle Muhdoc!" Cyan squeezed his legs tightly. _Nah, ih doesn' fit meh relationship wiff 'im. I guess 'e's still Misteh Muhdoc. _Rory also wandered over and clenched onto one of his legs. Murdoc tried to shake the toddler off, but he hung tight, letting out little snorting sounds since he couldn't laugh due to the pacifier. Cyan scooped up her little brother, expertly catching the pacifier when it slipped out from his lips. "Con yew say Uncle Muhdoc?"

"No!" he happily replied.

"Good job," 2D affectionately ruffled his son's dark, blue tinted hair. "Shall we finish t'is party?" Everyone settled at the table or in lawn chairs. 2D's parents and the Norsbys glared at Murdoc before averting their eyes so as not to upset Cyan. Once the cake was distributed, the sun slipped down over the distant Hills.

Murdoc took it upon himself to get the fire pit lit. " 'Ow come ih takes one match ta start a forest fire, but ih takes a whole damn pack ta start a campfire? Damn ih!" he pointed to the pit, causing Cyborg to fire a single bullet that ignited the packet of matches.

"Oh! Oh God," Noodle instinctively grabbed Rory. Cyborg looked sad and backed away from the roaring fire. "Just promise me something."

"Yes?" said the robot.

"Don't ever do that sort of stuff unless it's an emergency." She glanced over at the Pots and the Norsbys, who were all horrified at the sight of the cyborg in action. "What? Haven't you ever seen my twin shoot stuff from her mouth?"

"...that cyborg..." Mister Christofferson muttered, but there was no contempt in his tone, more like humor.

" 'Ey Cyan," Arthur whispered in her ear. He grabbed her hand and pulled her away to the garage. The others didn't seem to notice, still preoccupied with the spectacle that was the fire and how it had been started. But 2D's head cocked slightly in the direction his daughter was disappearing in.

"Wot'cha wont?" she asked when they were sheltered by the Winnebago.

"Well...now tha' yer thirteen I thought ih wewd be appropriate. I wos wonderin' if yew...wewd like ta go with me on a picnic ta Fallridge."

She stared at him for a bit before grinning widely. "Tha' wewd be great! I con show Rosie, Joel, an' Rory te fawls!"

"Uh..." he scratched his head. "I wos 'opin' ih'd jus'...be us."

"Oh...I see." She turned her head away, not in annoyance or disgust, but in thought.

"Stuart Pot!" Noodle whispered fiercely, tackling her husband just as he was about to leap out at the two young teens. "You are ruining your daughter's first romantic experience!"

"She's too young ta 'ave one!" he whispered back.

Noodle put him in a headlock. "You don't know that. Let her do this on her own."

"But wot if she makes a mistake?"

"Then she makes a mistake. You can't run her life. She needs to figure this out. Nobody taught me how to do this. I figured it out on my own, do you think I made a mistake?"

"...No. Wait, yes! Wait- wot's te right answer?"

"There is none. Just let this be. This is Arthur we're talking about. The Arthur we've known for four years."

"Four years? 'As ih really been tha' long?"

"We showed up when Cyan was nine. Face it Stuart, this boy was her first friend her age, now he means a lot more to her. And her to him apparently." She released his head. "Don't mess with a teenage girl in love."

Arthur trembled slightly. "Yer dad's nearby."

"I con 'ear 'em too an' I swear 'e won' interfere." Cyan took his hand and smiled. "I'd love ta go wiff yew."

"No!" Noodle muffled 2D's howl.

The two teens returned to the backyard, rejoined with a sulky 2D and an irritated Noodle. Though the others didn't know what had just taken place, there was plenty of time to worry about it later.

* * *

><p>well, that's the end of the main story<p>

but I'm still teeming with ideas, so who's to say that this is actually over?


	33. Bonus: Bonfire Night

Bonfire Night

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>A crisp morning on the fifth of November greeted the people of Valleyridge. Today was a special day, a night of fireworks, bonfires, and overall celebration. Folks would be gathering together around fires. Children would be playing for as long as they could stay awake. It was a time to party. It was Bonfire Night. And the former members of Gorillaz were ready, but they had another matter to attend to.<p>

"T'is is so excitin'!" said 2D.

"Says yew!" Cyan groaned. She realized now that she would've preferred she kept the news of her loose tooth to herself. Her father was now going on and on about different techniques and styles to pull it out.

"I remember when I got ta pull out Noodle's toof...she started cryin'."

"Don't bring that up," said the woman, pushing 2D away from his daughter. "And just to let you know, I thought you were gonna strangle me with floss."

"I wewd neveh do tha'!"

"You had that _look_ on your face. Let me see." She gently held Cyan's jaws apart. "Yeah...it's the top one, soon you'll look just like your dad."

"Her hair's grown long enough," said Russel.

2D pulled out a chair from the kitchen table. " 'Op up, love," he patted the seat. Cyan complied, still wary about being near him under these circumstances. She almost cried out when he made a show of slowly pulling out and organizing several kitchen utensils. He froze when he saw the look on her face. "I'm sorry! I awlways loved doin' t'is stuff ta Noodle."

"You love making little girls cry?" the woman asked, leaning on the counter and silently putting his instruments of torture away. "That's it, I'm manning the shop today and taking her with me."

"But wot if te toof fawls out?"

"We can only hope. And, oh how much I hope." She grabbed Cyan's hand and pulled her out of the kitchen. "Don't get me wrong, 2D was a wonderful caregiver and playmate, but some things went a little too far." She patted the child on the back, urging her to change out of her pajamas so they could go to the shop. The shop was still fairly new, to them and to the town, but in the short time it had been up and running, they had made themselves known to their local region. Mister Christofferson commented on their success in such a short time. His words were along the lines of "Yew seem ta 'ave such a bond with instruments."

"Noodle!" Cyan bounded back down the stairs from the room she shared with the woman. "I'm ready!"

"Can' I jus' tie ih ta te car wiff floss?" 2D held up his chosen 'weapon'.

"Goodbye," Noodle pushed Cyan out the door hurriedly. The woman now possessed a license, determined to obtain one after realizing the stress that had been placed upon 2D during their great escape. She smiled to herself after recalling her training in the art of driving. Let's just say, she was happy it was over. So was Mister Christofferson. At least she helped rebuild his fence. It was the first time Cyan had smiled in a week. This act took place back when she was still in critical condition. The local doctors had had to reopen her stitches after a sign of infection and she'd been left in a really sour mood. But the sight of that child, held in her father's arms at the top of the hill, laughing her head off until tears poured down her face, was more than enough to make up for the embarrassment of Noodle as she staggered out of the car and dodged the spooked horses.

It was Saturday, and though it was frigid, the town was busy. People were eager to move about the streets and stores. The morning was alive and not even the cold would damper everyone's spirits. Noodle pulled the car into the small alleyway alongside their building. She and Cyan slipped through the side door, finding themselves in the backroom, or workshop. It was usually only Noodle and Russel back here, with 2D manning the front and Cyan usually finding some place that was comfortable to rest, since she had only been recently feeling well enough to start playing rough again. She simply claimed to be sick when Arthur, who had taken an immediate shine to her, came calling. She blamed her malnutrition.

"Ugh, we need ta sweep back 'ere," she picked up a few wrappers and threw them in the waste basket.

"Don't look at me," said Noodle," I'm not the one who snacks when I work." She settled on her stool, facing a violin that she was currently piecing back together after its owner's brother 'accidentally' threw it out a window. The damage wasn't too bad.

"I'm goin' out front." Cyan wandered out, looking toward the door that split the building in two. They were still a little wary of people, choosing to only interact with the Norsbys, but the bakery people seemed nice and she kept catching someone peering through the door, then promptly shutting it in a fit of giggles when they saw she was watching.

"Cyan!" She looked up to see Arthur was tapping on the front window.

"Wot'cha need?"

He came inside and looked around. "I need a reason ta see meh buddy?"

"I'm on te job."

"Yer nine...awlright then. I wont...a guitar, 'elp me find the right guitar."

"Do yew even know anyfink about guitars?"

"Wot's te know?" he grabbed Noodle's Fender Telecaster out from the open case and swung it to his front. "Yew jus' 'old ih like this, put yer fingers 'ere, an'-" he strummed some notes that fell like rocks.

"Are yew left-'anded or right-'anded?"

"Right."

"Yer 'oldin' ih wrong." She took the instrument from him and demonstrated the right way, strumming a few notes that Noodle had taught her. But the only instrument she had interest in learning was the melodica. Yet, in sort of a double-deal, her father was teaching her his keyboard as well. He also had a banjo that she liked to test out.

At the sound of the divider door shutting, both children looked up. Cyan almost let the guitar drop, but after a sudden scene of what Noodle might do to her that played inside her head, she caught it quickly. An inner instinct of hers had developed after her imprisonment at the orphanage. She was almost elated to discover, in that moment, that it was almost faded; yet, also happy that it was still functioning. With it gone, it was a step to being normal. With it, she could still rely on her reflexes.

And the fact that a door shutting and someone giggling on the other side of it was a little unsettling. The family didn't know many people as of yet, mostly stemming from them keeping to themselves in this new, 'normal' environment. Several times Cyan had urged herself to mingle. She'd even walked in on 2D and Russel daring each other to open the door. She knew what was on the other side, the shop at least.

"Go say 'hi'," Arthur urged her. "They're real nice."

"Not meh business ta go buttin' in." She turned away to set the guitar back in the glass case.

"Yer jus' makin' excuses." He grabbed her by the shoulders and spun her back towards the door. She grimaced in pain from the contact, but hid her discomfort from him. "They've been eager ta meet yew."

"Do yew know 'em personally?"

"I am familiar with their sponge cake." She gave him a look. "They're cool people. C'mon, jus' go see fer yerself." He pulled the door open, startling a young woman who had been bending over to peer through the crack in the door. She shrieked and fell back, drawing the attention of the dozen people in the shop. A couple snickered, this behavior apparently normal.

"Blimey! Scare the life outta me, why don'cha!" she got to her feet, giving Cyan a full view. A bit stocky, dark skin, dark hair pulled back into a ponytail. She looked to be in her late teens and was wearing a white apron with colored streaks. Then Cyan looked around. White linoleum floors, big windows with booths set near them so customers could see out, a long counter with spinning bar stools.

"Wotcha! There's the li'le scav." A cheerful man with wispy ash-blond hair was leaned over the counter, looking at the children. "Art, ya do realize our debt ta yer gaffer is pro'lly paid off, ya can' keep sneakin' in 'ere anymore." Then the man caught full sight of Cyan. "Well-well, got yerself a girlie?"

"No!" Arthur replied a little too quickly.

The man laughed heartily. "Right-right. 'Ey there pet, wot's yer story?"

Cyan gave him a blank stare. The way he spoke, his mannerisms, she had never met a person like this. Sure, Russel was a teddy bear, 2D was goofy and would always lift your spirits, and Noodle was the epitome of sisterhood, but none of them were like this. "Um..."

"Cat got'cher tongue? I don' bite."

"...I'm..yer next door neighbor." She pointed behind her into the music shop.

The man leaned even further on the counter. "Wos wond'rin' wot wos goin' on. Lotta noises comin' from in there, but no one pops in fer a chin-wag." She continued to give him a blank stare, trying to decipher all the slang he was throwing at her. "No very chopsy, are yew? I think we got somethin' ta fix tha'." He gestured for them to come around the counter.

"Chocolate!" Arthur darted around, but the man snagged him before he could get past.

"Not fer yew, wait fer the lady." He waited until Cyan uneasily followed. "We got the cat's pajamas in wotever yew desire."

" 'Ey now!" a young woman with identical wispy hair approached them when they enter the large open space of the kitchen. "Cyril, ya can' keep bringin' the kids back 'ere, specially tha' bottomless pit," she grinned at Arthur.

"Chillax, ya daftie," he replied, inciting a gasp from her.

"An' stop tha' insipid babble. Yew watch way too much telly."

"S'not meh fault, we got ih set up right out on the front counter." The argument continued for a bit longer, leaving the two children to their own investigations. The kitchen looked sterile white at the first glance, but the walls were actually pale silver. The large work table, like a chrome island, sat in the center, decorated with various stains of flour, eggs, frosting, and whatever else came out of the bakery. There were also plenty of stains on the floor, including a huge splotch of reddish-purple that almost looked intentional.

So many wonderful scents enveloped them from all the treats being prepared. A faint wisp of vanilla was wafting from an oven, fresh-baked cinnamon buns were placed strategically on a cooling rack, an apple pie was currently being sliced up by a man in the corner. Cyan could feel her mouth watering and hastily swallowed before her drool pooled out on the floor. It probably wouldn't be very healthy to spit in the food.

Arthur grasped her arm and led her to some homemade chocolates made out of molds. The smell almost overwhelmed her and she couldn't help inhaling deeply. This place was heaven. She was even amazed the scents hadn't leaked through the door, and a little sad that they didn't. Both their hands reached simultaneously to take a chocolate for themselves.

"Gotcha!" the woman grasped their hands, spooking them both enough that they jumped. "Yew don' think I got eyes in the back o' meh 'ead? Art, yer a scavenger, get out."

"Wot about Cyan?" he asked in an effort to stay.

The woman looked down, regarding the small child who looked too young to be out without her parents. "Who are yew? I've never seen yew b'fore."

"Cyan Connell-Pot. Meh family owns te space next door. We also own te 'ouse next ta Arthur."

"Ah, I remember 'em buildin' tha' place. Looks fancy an' awl."

Cyan shrugged, her shoulder twinging slightly. "I guess. T'ere's four o' us an' ih 'as plenty o' room."

"Fergive me, but 'ow old are yew?"

That was a question Cyan had heard often enough. Adults always coming to the orphanage asked that plenty of times. They'd see her, drawn into curiosity by her hair, and ask how old she was. At the time, when she'd answer, they would glance over at some children who claimed to be the same age, some even younger, and all looked healthier and stronger than she did. It shocked many of them, and yet, it was a wonder why none of them ever called an investigation on the matter. "I'm... I'm nine."

"Really?" said the woman. "Yew need some good 'ome-cooked meals, ya twig!" She smiled gently when Cyan flinched. "M'sorry li'le one. Yer jus' so small- an' cute," she added. " 'Ere," she picked up the biggest molded chocolate, "this stuff works wonders. I'm Sunshine, by the way. Meh twin, the idiot at the front, is Cyril."

" 'E's nice."

"Yeah...nice," was all she said. "We also got Theo back there," she gestured to the man with the apple pie, "Lila's...I don' know where she went, an' yew startled Naomi. Awl one big 'appy family."

"Anyone seen a blue-haired midget?" a voice called from the front. Cyan rushed to the counter to see Noodle standing by the door. The woman nodded at her and jerked her head to signal returning to the music shop.

"No Noodle, come back 'ere. Ih's great! Lewk!" she held up the half-eaten chocolate. "I can' believe we didn' visit sooneh." After warily looking around at all the people, Noodle joined Cyan in the kitchen, immediately being taken by the scents. Her green eyes glazed over in the ecstasy. "Isn' ih great? An' t'ese are our neighbors!"

Noodle introduced herself to each member of the staff that was there, leaving whoever Lila was still up in the air. Conversations followed, only being interrupted when a customer approached the counter. They ended when Cyril came through the door with Noodle's Fender Telecaster. Cyan bit her lip, sending a sharp bit of pain up her loose tooth, after realizing she hadn't shut the case.

"This is incredible!" he said, admiring the instrument. "I awlways wonted one o' these when I wos li'le."

"Specifically that design?" asked Noodle.

"No... but a guitar. This yers?" he handed it off to her.

"Yes, it's mine." She took one of the spinning stools at the counter, readjusting the guitar into the familiar position. As her fingers danced along the strings, all talk in the bakery quieted down. Everyone craned their necks to watch and listen. She didn't even notice everyone in the room. Soon the young woman's creativity burst and took control of her. An applause broke out as the last note died away.

"Wow..." Cyril had his chin rested in his hands, a look of complete infatuation on his face, or maybe it was for the music. "Can yew teach me tha'?"

"Yer jus' lucky yew know 'ow ta make change, totter," said Sunshine. "Don' listen to 'im," she told Noodle, "nothin' ever gets through tha' thick skull."

"Sounds like someone I know," she replied, "and he does just fine."

"Now I remember why I came 'ere!" Arthur burst out. "Sunshine, Cyril, meh dad wonts ta know if yew an' yer workers wont ta come ta our 'ouse fer Bonfire Night. Yew guys can come too," he said Noodle and Cyan. "Ih'll be great! The whole neighborhood's gonna be there an' we'll 'ave fireworks an' food an' music."

Both Cyan and Noodle exchanged glances. Were they really ready to mingle on such a scale? It wouldn't be bad, it was just down the hill. The Norsbys were hosting and if things got bad, they could just flee. "Why not?" said Noodle. "I'll tell the boys." Cyan eagerly nodded and chomped down on what was left of her chocolate. She shrieked and spat out her tooth and stream of blood on the counter. "Well we knew that was coming."

"M'sorry," she mumbled, picking up the tooth. Cyril looked like he was about to bust a rib and simply wiped down the blood.

* * *

><p>Night never truly descended. The dark sky was alive with explosions of sounds and color. Fireworks were leaping all over the town and even more off in the distance. Bonfires were pricks of light in the distance. Their own fire was ringed with rocks and was the main source of lighting the fireworks. They would light a stick from the bonfire, then light off whatever they chose.<p>

"My turn!" 2D carefully set a medium-sized packet on the flat board that was quite a ways from the party. He lit the fuse then tore back to the others before it went off. The firework zipped into the sky and erupted into showers of purple sparks. Everyone cheered loudly at the spectacle.

Things were going great. It seemed everyone was interested in their mysterious neighbors, but could never muster the courage to see what was really going on. As the adults of her family were sorting out made-up stories, Cyan was familiarizing herself with her fellow children. Besides Arthur, there was Nate and his twin sisters, Cassidy and Cassandra, or Cassy and Sandy, as they preferred to be called. There were also some other kids already in their teens, but they clustered together and stared anyone down who tried to approach them.

"Smile!" Poppy Norsby snapped a photo of the children with their sparklers.

"T'is is great!" said Cyan. "I neveh knew I cewd 'ave t'is much fun."

"Where've yew been?" Arthur joked, not realizing he'd just driven a stake into her heart. The girl shook it off quickly, determined not to let the past ruin the future. "Ya think Noodle cewd teach me guitar too?"

"Yew shewd ask 'er."

"I...I don' wanna jus' barge in," he looked over at Noodle and Russel, who were talking animatedly with Naomi from the bakery.

"Cyan!" 2D approached his daughter, a firework in each hand. "Which one next? We go inna cycle. I'm comin' up." She looked at each, both fairly large, before pointing to the one in his right hand. As the man turned away and approached the flat board, he didn't realize Arthur and Cyan were following him. Russel noticed, immediately starting toward them. Anyone under the age of thirteen was not allowed near the launch site.

2D set the packet up and lit the fuse once more. He stood and turned, tripping over the two children. "Kids? Yer not supposed ta be out 'ere!" his voice was drowned out by the loud scream of the firework as it threw itself into the sky. Or, in the direction of the sky. The packet had fallen mid-launch. It zipped around and exploded right above everyone's heads. The crowd shrieked and dropped to the ground. 2D climbed on top of Cyan and Arthur, sheltering them from the sparks.

The blunette was shoved off by Mister Christofferson, who came to collect them as soon as the coast was supposedly clear. Cyan suddenly felt a burning sensation. She screamed and rubbed her head against the grass. The heat, the scent of burning hair, she was on fire! Her scream was coupled with her father's yells. 2D hastily scraped ashes off the back of his neck. That apparently wasn't all because he took off his shirt and stomped it out before falling flat to the ground. Arthur patted his sizzling hair down before a fire could erupt.

"You guys alright?" Russel rushed to them, checking them over. "C'mon, we're goin' to the hospital." None them complained. The party goers saw them off as they loaded up in Mister Christofferson's truck. Cyan kept feeling the back of her head. The hair she had grown to her shoulders was burnt close to her skull. The front still remained, longer locks in front of her ears that dropped to chin-length.

"Ohhhh..." she whimpered.

"'S'not tha' bad, love," 2D assured her. "We can fix ih." She just shook her head in response.

"Yew look nice with short 'air," Arthur added. "S'kinda choppy, like Miss Noodle's. Or Mister Pot," he nodded at 2D.

"I 'fink tha's a wake up cawl," the man brushed his fingers through his shaggy blue locks. "Time fer a new lewk, if ya ask me." He craned his neck to look out at the receding light behind them. "We go ta a party, an' end up in te 'ospital. Jus' like old times."

"At least we got ta mingle," said Cyan.

"Yeah, we're diggin' our stake 'ere."

"People are gonna remember this one fer a long time," said Arthur.


	34. Bonus: Wedding Bells

Wedding Bells

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>"I 'fink I'm gonna kill mehself," Cyan mouthed to Arthur.<p>

"Back at'cha," he responded in silence. Both of them sighed and leaned over their tables. The clock moved agonizingly slow, torturing them until they were ready to pull their brains out through their noses just so they wouldn't feel anything anymore. There was an important reason as to why they were stuck here. And it was for this reason that Cyan stammered through. But a cotillion class was not a place for a child like her. She would rather be out in summer air, rolling around in the dirt or spitting watermelon seeds at the crows.

Poppy Norsby had insisted on this being done. Her words stated that Cyan needed to learn _"Wot ih takes ta be a proper young lady." _The poor girl then found herself whisked into this waste of a Saturday so that proper manners could be bored right into her head with a lead hammer. She could feel the tomboy being tortuously extracted from her aura, which she expected was getting dingier by the minute. She liked her aura bright and this room sucked the life right out of her.

"Tha' wraps up t'day's lesson," said the teacher, clapping her hands to get everyone's attention. "I lewk forward ta seein' yew awl next week."

_Fat chance. _Cyan jumped down from her chair, rearranging the skirt of the mint green dress that took Russel, 2D, and Noodle all working together for her to be forced into. That was an interesting morning. It appeared the classes weren't really having an effect. Which was a little unfortunate really. The wedding was next week.

Everyone eagerly pushed in their chairs and rushed out, ready to spend the rest of this day however they liked, which definitely wasn't practicing mannerisms. As a result, most lessons in this class were forgotten anyway. Unless the parents were trying really, _really _hard to automatize their kids, they mostly reverted back to their state before they entered the class. So much listlessness was replaced with unbridled joy that only children could fabricate.

Arthur and Cyan joined the steady river of kids leaving the room and returning to the waiting room where parents waited, hoping to see their offspring act like perfect gentlemen and ladies as they left, only to be greeted with little ones pulling off uncomfortable shoes and loosening ties. There was no hope. There was only maturity, then slowly losing that maturity, then trying in vain to keep a hold of childhood. But everyone grows up eventually. 2D jumped up from his seat, spooked from his sleepy daze by some little girl tossing her dress purse in a random direction so she could remove her gloves.

"I wosn' sleepin'!" he exclaimed. He and the two kids escaped into the parking lot. They eagerly climbed into Stylo, ready to leave all of this behind. And it was the last time. The wedding was Friday.

"Ya nervous?" Cyan grabbed the back of her dad's seat.

"Not really."

"Yew will be."

" 'Fanks fer te sympathy." The car drove steadily out of the cityscape and to the edge of Ridgeshire, before curling around the slope and descending into Valleyridge. The town was alive with summer activity. The city people were crowded in the hotels to get away from it all and the locals were putting up with them.

"I don' see why yew guys cewdn' jus' 'ave te weddin' 'ere," said Cyan. "Te town's a lot more appealin' t'an some fancy garden tower, or wotever ih is."

"Now Cyan, ih's a very nice buildin', yew've been t'ere. An' ih's actually a music 'all, te garden's outside."

"Ih'll be nice," said Arthur, trying to lighten the mood.

2D nodded in agreement, but he had different thoughts running through his head. Cyan had been very negative lately, either from the classes or the whole arrangement. The poor man began to doubt whether his daughter actually wanted him and Noodle to be wed. She seemed ecstatic at the announcement, bouncing around and hugging them, but maybe the joy had passed. _Does she 'fink Noodle's gonna try an' replace 'er mum? _he couldn't help but wonder.

Arthur's parents weren't home at the time, so he continued up to the house with the father and daughter. Both children piled out quickly and raced inside, shedding shoes and socks at the doorway. Noodle and Russel were at the table, speaking with the wedding planner, a stuffy woman named Bernadine who always smelled like moth balls and some extremely fruity perfume. But she had excellent tastes and was well-revered in the cityscape.

"Ah children!" she spoke as the two slid to a stop on the floor. "Wonderful, I weesh to talk weeth you. Arthur Norsby, you are ze ring bearer?"

"I guess."

"Zen we haff some work to do weeth your suit. Now, leetle Cyan-"

"Don' cawl me lil'le," she muttered.

"We need to find a dress to accentuate zat 'orrid hair of yours," she continued to rabble on, unknowingly offending the girl repeatedly. Noodle took notice, as she was doing her own made up sign-language behind the woman's back, warning Cyan to stay calm. It took much self-control, but she managed to keep her cool while she was criticized thoroughly.

"Maybe let te kids go an' change?" 2D appeared in the kitchen.

"Yes, go now," Bernadine shooed them off. "I must speak weeth you," she said to 2D.

"Yer turn," Cyan whispered to her father before running off. After changing out of their itchy clothing, the two retired outside to continue with what was left of this day. "Ya know, people 'ave been askin' me 'bout t'is whole 'fing."

"Oh yeah? 'Bout wot exactly?"

The two were sprawled out in the treehouse. A finished product as of last week, it was created just for Cyan, allowing her to escape somewhere outside the house. She personally felt it almost a waste now that she had her own room. After proposing, 2D and Noodle commandeered the master bedroom, which was previously Noodle and Cyan's shared room. Now the child bunked in her father's former room. " 'Bout t'is whole weddin' 'fing. Meh da' marryin' somebody."

"_Are _yew okay with ih?"

"Yeah, why not?" she sat up, staring into space.

"There's somethin' yer not tellin' me."

She sighed, a forlorn expression on her face. "People don' know wot 'appened ta meh mum, awl t'ey know is tha' I live wiff Da'. So t'ey've been askin'...if I see Noodle as meh mum."

"Do ya?"

She gave him a funny look. " 'Fink clearly! She thirteen years older t'an me! No...I don' see 'er as a mum, I see 'er as a sisteh. Which makes t'is arrangement a li'le weird in some sense."

"So," he rolled on his stomach, "wot's the relationship tha'll stand fer yer whole family?"

"Russel's meh uncle, no blood relation, an' meh da's marryin' meh sisteh-figure. Makes sense." That was what she kept telling herself. She loved them all dearly, but her experiences in the past made her spiteful of change. Even at the orphanage, at least she knew what to expect. "I gotta tell ya, ih makes sense in meh mind, not sure 'bout everyone else."

"Everyone is makin' a 'uge deal over awl o' this. Yew guys 'aven' been 'ere long."

She shrugged. "Wotever. Te weddin's in six days, if I feel like I gotta do somefink about ih, I got plenty o' time."

"Yer..." he gave her an even look, "yer not thinkin' about sabotage?"

She rolled her eyes. "I are serious child. D'ya really 'fink I wewd do somefink like tha'? T'ey love each otheh! I'm not gonna break tha' up!"

"But ih wos kinda sudden. Are yew really used ta the idea?"

What he said was true. Russel and Cyan had barely noticed the two getting more intimate with each other. They made little flirts at one another, but she always passed that up as the familiar level of affection she saw between them. But then she began catching some things that couldn't be that easily explained. They started touching each other more often. 2D's hands on Noodle's shoulders, a quick cheek-rub, or she'd bump his chin with her nose.

The remaining members of the family did notice that the two would be gone often. That was when Cyan started seeking out the interactions that were being hidden from them. She utilized skills she didn't even know she had to spy on them. Sure they caught her a few times, but she had seen enough to confirm what she believed. They were in love. In all actuality, she did find it a little strange. With the Internet functioning as an infinite resource at her disposal, she knew of the bond the two had shared back in the earlier years of the band.

_ 'E raised 'er! _she couldn't help think. The twelve year difference was what the people around here were conversing over and she herself was guilty of that as well. But stranger things had happened in relationships and she decided to let the past be. Noodle was a grown-up, she could make her own decisions, and if she decided to marry 2D, Cyan stepped aside.

"T'ey con do wotever t'ey wont. 'Slong as Noodle doesn' try ta act like a mum ta me, I'm ace."

"Wot'chu gonna do if she does?"

" 'Aven' got tha' far."

Both children were silent when a purple-ish mop topped head poked up from the ladder. "She's gone, you can come inside now," Noodle reported. They were both silently overjoyed and slid down the ladder to return inside. Noodle followed at a slower pace. Though she'd never let Cyan know, she had been listening. _Do I try to mother her? I never thought I was. _Now her mind was plagued with an uncertain future on her relationship with her husband-to-be's daughter.

Even she felt that they had sped things up a little. She was overjoyed at the thought of marrying 2D, but still wary of the conditions. As a teen, she admitted to having a crush on him, like any hormonal teenager, but it was a crush and nothing more. As a woman, she no longer let herself be victim to her hormones and found herself pursuing a true relationship with the man she'd grown to love with all her heart. Murdoc's absence also helped contribute into this new, calm lifestyle.

"Has Cyan ever said anything hateful about me?" she asked that night as she and 2D prepared for bed.

"Wot? !" he poked his head out of the bathroom, toothbrush in hand, and foam and spittle dripping down his chin. He spat his mouthful in the sink before continuing. "Wot'cha mean, love? 'Ateful in wot kinda sense?"

"I heard her talking with Art in the treehouse. She said that if I ever tried to treat her like my daughter she'd...well, she doesn't even know. So I was wondering if you ever heard her say anything."

2D sank down on the bedspread next to her. "I ain' neveh 'eard 'er say anyfink bad 'bout'chu. I really don' 'fink yew shewd be worryin', she adores ya!" He sounded like he was trying to convince himself too.

"Do you..." Noodle twiddled her fingers, "do you think I mother her?"

"No! Yer like...te big sisteh. Yew 'elp 'er wiff 'er 'omework, ya play 'round wiff 'er, nuffink like a motheh I've seen." He hugged her tightly to his chest. "Don' worry, I asked Cyan if she wos uncomfortable wiff t'is awlready. She said she 'ad no 'arsh feelin's 'bout ih." He gently rocked her back and forth.

"Did she make eye contact?" He paused in his movement, which was the only answer Noodle needed. "Stuart," she untangled his arms from their grasp, "I think we should put things on hold until I know for sure that Cyan's comfortable with this. _She's_ the one who's going to be most influenced by this, you're her father."

"Yew 'finkin' right? 'Cause I 'fought Russel wos gonna neuter me."

"Papa Russel," she poked him on the nose, "can deal with it. But Cyan...I just feel obligated to make sure she's okay."

"Pro'lly 'cause we still don' know 'er too well."

"So you understand."

He sighed and leaned back on his hands. "Te date is set, we've got everythin' planned. I guess set aside some time ta talk wiff 'er 'bout 'ow she feels. Can' 'fink o' anyfink else ta do."

* * *

><p>The week passed like any other summer week. However, for those involved with the celebration on Friday, it seemed to take forever for the day to arrive. Especially for Cyan, but that was mainly because Bernadine was coming around the house a lot more often and criticizing her hair, her posture, her manners, and anything that she found out of the norm. The child bore the rage that was building under the surface mainly for her family's sake. That old crone was one of the best wedding planners around and Cyan would be damned if she herself was the reason they lost her.<p>

All the decorations and samples were moved out of their home and either back to the stores or to the location of the event. Cyan had only been there a few times, but knew the way by heart and the entire layout was in her memory. Overall, it was a pretty nice place. But she had only seen it empty. Now that the decorations and tables were up, she was positive the music hall would be different.

2D and Noodle weren't around very often now. Both were busy with the preparations and the people, leaving Cyan home with Russel. He was a bit irked that he couldn't get more involved in the festivities, but never like to show it around her. She picked it up anyway. They mostly spent the days in the shop. And today, the day before the wedding, they were met with a surprise.

"Yew wewd 'fink t'ey cewd wait," Cyan slammed her door shut as she and Russel rushed out of the alley and to the front of the building. Someone, and they had a pretty good idea of who they were, had strung a large banner wishing 2D and Noodle luck in marriage. "T'ey're a li'le off on te date."

Russel smiled and shook his head. "The fact that they're in the ceremony doesn' help." They slipped inside the front door and turned immediately to the inside door that led to the bakery next to them. "You're off by a day!" said Russel as they stepped through.

"Ih's not meh fault!" said Sunshine, holding up her hands in defense. "Theo an' Lila stole ih las' night after they left their shifts! An' I'm positive tha' Naomi 'elped 'cause she knew where me an' Cyril 'id ih." Sunshine, Poppy Norsby, Lila, and Naomi were Noodle's bridesmaids since they were the only women that she had ever truly bonded with. Theodore and Mister Christofferson were groomsmen, and Russel was 2D's best man. Noodle had yet to reveal who her maid of honor was, which was stressing everyone out to no end.

Cyan backed away slowly and slipped behind the counter. She crept into the kitchen, eager to see one particular piece of the wedding that held the utmost importance in a child's mind. The wedding cake. Her ocean eyes almost filled with tears, but her mouth did fill with drool. Since about half of the town was invited, and they were sure others were going to show up invited or not, the cake was of substantial size. Four tiers of blue roses curling on swirl designs that descended down the cake in little streams.

She crept closer to look at the design, at least that's what she told herself. So close to sugary goodness. She restrained herself and walked around the cake, taking it all in. The beauty and layout was sublime. Blue roses for her father's hair. Fours tiers, one representing each member of her family. It was magnificent.

"What are you doing? Get away!" the sudden cry made Cyan shriek and leap back. Bernadine swept in through the kitchen, Naomi following with an irritated expression on her face. "Stay away from zat cake! Do not touch!"

"I wosn' gonna touch ih!" she countered. Sure she had a sweet-tooth of sorts, but desecrating her father's wedding cake? No, she would never. "I wos enjoyin' te display!"

Bernadine knelt low to get in the child's face, but Naomi put a hand on her shoulder. "Cyan likes ta draw an' stuff, she wos pro'lly jus' appreciatin' the design." She looked nervous about this situation. But she managed to break up this confrontation before it exploded and most likely destroyed the cake.

"I'm watching you," snarled the old woman. "You must learn zome manners before you partake een zis ceremony. I won't let you ruin eet. I haff a perfect score een my career, you won't ruin my streak." She marched out, leaving Naomi to handle the cake all by herself.

"Bite me!" Cyan shouted when she was positive that the woman was out of the building. Her fingers wound into her short blue locks and tugged hard enough that she feared she'd ripped out a handful. That would look lovely for the wedding. "I wont tha' woman gone!" Russel walked in and herded her back through the door into the music shop. He didn't say much, a knowing look on his face, and instead deposited her at the front desk and went to the back room.

Despite her rage, Cyan didn't mention what had happened when they all made it home. She would have relished in ratting out Bernadine, but stayed quiet for the sake of the wedding. They were in love and she wouldn't let anything get in the way. In a way, she was more dedicated than Bernadine.

_Perfect score, eh? Perfect score. Yew keep tha' damn perfect score, jus' don' make me ruin meh da's weddin'. _She was sheltered under her treehouse, repeatedly burying the very flick knife that had scarred her shoulder up to the hilt in the soft dirt. She felt that this was a pretty violent way to release emotions, but she had a lot of pent up rage. Her eyes flashed as she suddenly imagined this knife plunging into Bernadine's head and-

_Stop! _She threw the knife, it sticking out from a tree trunk across from her. _I'm not violent! _She got up and started pacing. If anything, she was the most stressed out by this. These past few days, it seemed Bernadine was purposely trying to get her to ruin the plans. _She doesn' wont me in t'is weddin'. She 'finks I'll ruin ih an' 'er perfect score. _Her brain told her to tell someone, but her heart said to keep it secret. So she clamped her jaw shut and went about the rest of the day with an emotionless look. Though she didn't want to draw attention of any kind, 2D took notice of her impassive countenance.

"Jus' a few days ago, yew were askin' if I wos nervous." He gave her concerned look. "Wot's te matteh, love? Are _yew_ nervous?"

Cyan was sitting in bed, her legs tucked against her chest and arms wrapped around her knees. She didn't make eye contact with her father, choosing to look out to a stack of library books on the desk. 2D followed her gaze then drew her attention back to him. "Talk ta me, love. Noodle's worried an' so am I. Russel said yew an' Bernadine 'ad a spat t'day."

"She started ih," she mumbled against her knees.

He ruffled her hair affectionately. "Don' worry, yew'll get tha' cake tomorrow." He stood up, swiped one of the books without her seeing, and snapped off the lights. "Nighty-night, li'le love. Tomorrow's a big day."

"Good night." _Yeah, tomorrow's a big day, an' I won' let Bernadine ruin ih._

2D shut her bedroom door and hurried across the second floor balcony to the master bedroom. "Noodle! Lewk at t'is!" He showed her the book he had taken from Cyan's room. "A library book on dogs! Diff'rent dog breeds, an' she marked some o' te pages." The woman helped him flip through the marked pages, reviewing each breed that resided there.

"Maybe this explains it," said Noodle. "She did like Pelican and Seagull, maybe she wants a pet." She grimaced slightly when she looked over the marked breed again. "I think she wants a big dog. Well...they do tend to be more outgoing."

"Meh li'le love wonts a dog, I'll get 'er a dog!"

"Stuart wait," she grabbed his arm before he could dash out of the room, "we have to think this through. Can we really handle a dog?"

"But Cyan wonts one."

"And I wanted a rabbit when I was eleven."

"Yew did?"

"Usagi! Kawai! Kawai! Kore o katte kudasai!" she said in a high-pitched voice reminiscent of how she sounded as a child. (Translation: Rabbit! Cute! Cute! Please buy this!') "Russel almost gave in until Murdoc threatened to put it on a spit and roast it rotisserie style."

"We're not gonna eat te dog." He pawed through the books again. "Don'chu 'fink ih'd be a wondehful surprise at te weddin' fer a new doggy ta trot down te aisle?"

"That wasn't in the rehearsal." They had to go through the rehearsal a few days ago. 2D had scratched his face and set Bernadine off on such a level that he remained terrified for the whole day. That day had also staked something very important for the wedding day. Bernadine had handed Cyan a practice basket for the role of the flower girl, which the girl spitefully handed back, refusing to do the role. Noodle had had to cross the room and explain that Cyan was not to be the flower girl; instead, the small twin girls of their neighbors, Cassidy and Cassandra, were going to be duo flower girls. Cyan's role had yet to be confirmed.

"Screw te rehearsal! Meh li'le girl wonts a puppy!"

Noodle smiled and forcefully sat him on the bed. "I'll talk to her, stay here." She left the room and crossed to Cyan's shut door. She knocked out of politeness, almost giggling when she heard rapid shuffling from inside. Upon the child's approval, she walked in. "Hey, your dad's a little worried about you."

"Really? I 'adn' noticed," she said sarcastically, but there was no humor in her voice.

Noodle exhaled slowly, picking at Cyan's quilt. "Please tell me what's wrong."

"Nuffink," but her voice was listless.

"I find it hard to believe you." She reached out and lightly touched the girl's hand. "Cyan, I'm not here to be your mother. Though I never knew her, I bet she was a great mother who cared very much for you. No one can replace someone like that. Look at Murdoc's Cyborg! She couldn't replace me. If I ever gave off the idea that I wanted to be your mother...I am deeply sorry."

"Yer not meh mum an' yew neveh will be. But I'm okay wiff tha'. Yer meh big sisteh. I'm 'appy fer yew an' Da'," she finally made direct eye contact, "believe me."

"Are you...lonely? In any way?"

That shocked her slightly. No one had ever asked her that before. "I...I don' know. I don' like ih when any o' yew are away fer a long time."

"Like we've been these past few weeks?"

"I 'ate tha' woman," Cyan muttered. Noodle didn't even need to think of who she was speaking about.

"So does your dad." She stood up and walked to the door. She paused and whispered softly, "Kokoro kara anata o aishite imasu, imooto," before leaving and shutting the door behind her. (Translation: 'I love you very much, little sister') Cyan cocked her head to the side. As soon as the door was closed, she crept to the desk and picked up a Japanese dictionary. She almost cried after translating Noodle's words.

_No one but Mum an' Da' 'ave eveh cared tha' much._

* * *

><p>"This is so excitin'!" Sunshine cheered, giggling madly and rushing around the room. Poppy Norsby quickly restrained her, but she refused to calm down. "Too much electricity! I'm ready fer anythin'!" She was confined to a chair, but her legs kept shuffling under her light sea-green dress.<p>

Cyan rolled her eyes. Yet her own joy and discomfort was barely concealed. Once again stuffed in an uncomfortably itchy dress, and now her hair was also styled to accentuate her face. Her longer locks were braided and pulled around her head to look as if she wore a crown. She leaned against the counter divider in faux-boredom. The ceremony was to begin at 5:00 in the afternoon, it was 3:00 right now. 2D and the others had gone ahead to the music hall to welcome the guests. This left the women getting ready at the house.

"Sweet 'earts, stop tha'." Poppy Norsby had to separate the twin flower girls when they started pulling each other's curls. They both squealed and dashed around. When they came close to Cyan, she visibly stepped a bit backward to keep them from trodding on her feet.

Bernadine kept pacing between women, prodding dresses, teasing hair, adjusting the bouquets on the table. Noodle watched her with a dazed expression, her ultimate disguise in hiding the inner terror of what this day held. For her future and for the future of this family. She didn't have her full dress on yet, that would be handled at the hall.

"Cyan," Bernadine leaned down to speak with the child, an obviously fake smile plastered on her face. "I need you to go and geet ze spare decorations een ze garage, please."

She could have scoffed, but decided to keep herself on the planner's good side today. So she nodded and went out the front door, through the run, and opened the side door to the garage. There it was, a box stuffed full of fabric samples set on a shelf near the quads. She slipped between the vehicles and grabbed it. The door slammed shut at that moment. She set the box down and looked around in the darkness. _I wos anticipatin' t'is. _She crept back to the door and tested it. Locked.

_Maybe t'is is fer te best. _She settled on one of the quads, as comfortable as it was going to get. Bernadine was determined that nothing was to ruin her perfect score. If Cyan was going to get in the way of that, then she was to be eliminated. _Ih's okay, _she assured herself, thankful that the darkness in here wasn't pressing in on her, _s'long as te day go off wiffout any problems. T'is day needs ta be perfect an' if I cewd get in te way, t'en I won' go._

At the sound of the door opening, she tuned in to listen. The women were laughing and joking. It was time to go to the wedding. She faintly heard Noodle ask where she was. Then there was Bernadine's quick reply that she was riding with the planner. _She'll neveh believe tha', yew stupid idiot. _But the bride said nothing more. Cyan continued to listen as each of them went to their cars, packed away the rest of the supplies, then climbed in and left. As soon as she was sure they were gone, she routed around and found a crow bar. At any moment, she could have broken out.

The house had never been this empty. No sounds of Russel's experiments in the basement. None of 2D's odd noises while he did whatever it was he did. No sound of Noodle fussing over different things. Now that she thought about it, she really didn't know what the others did around the house. She didn't know what they liked to do for fun, besides music. _I don' know anyfink 'bout meh family, _she realized.

It seemed so empty. A big, bare house with nobody in it. She felt barren inside. _I guess I am lonely. _She chose to raid the cupboards, seeing if there were any sweets she could indulge in. Her one regret was not getting to eat that cake. She managed to scavenge some pudding and it would have to do. She plopped down in a chair at the table, leaning her head in her hands. _T'ey'll 'ave fun_. _T'ey won' notice_ _I'm not t'ere. Ih'll be great. I don' even 'ave a part ta play._

A faint hum turned her attention to the counter divider. Noodle's cellphone, she had left her phone behind. _Tha's not good. _She swiped the phone and checked the messages, realizing the hum was a text.

**Russel: Baby-girl I don't c Cyan. she showed up with u didn't she?**

She was tempted to respond herself, but held back. She sighed and began sorting through Noodle's messages. That probably wasn't the best thing to do, but she was bored.

**Big Secret!**

Cyan's eyes narrowed at the message. It was dated a few weeks before the wedding and sent to 2D. She tapped the screen to read it.

**Noodle: i gotta secret!**

**2D: ya gonna tell me?**

**Noodle: It's about Cyan n her role**

**2D: Finally! i've been waiting! Bernadine's fussing**

**Noodle: I can choose whoever i want as my maid of honor!**

Cyan gasped loudly. The phone slipped and clattered to the floor. She was frozen in place. _I'm...I'm 'er maid o' 'onor? _She felt like crying, but in joy. Noodle wanted her to be her maid of honor! She was the maid of honor! "An' I'm not at te weddin'!" she realized. _Bernadine, I'm te maid o' 'onor an' ih is now meh official job ta make sure t'is weddin' goes off wiffout a problem. Ih's outta yer 'ands now. T'is weddin' is mine! _

She flew out the door, locking it behind her, and slammed the button to open the big garage door. Riding to the wedding in style, the maid of honor on a quad. She slammed the helmet on her head, regardless of it messing up her hair do, and started the engine. She zoomed down the slope at top speed. She slapped the visor down as the wind whisked by, drying her eyes in an instant.

The few people that saw her were greatly confused at what she was doing. The front desk managers at the Northridge Hotel noticed her immediately. They called up 2D's cell number, something they had because he had fixed their old piano in the lobby.

" 'Ello?"

"Mister Pot? Yew do realize yer daughter is zoomin' down the center o' Valleyridge in a dress an' on a quad?"

* * *

><p>"Get back here!" Russel tried to restrain the groom, but 2D fought against him with all his might. The blunette ripped his tux jacket off, threw his cummerbund to the floor, and raced out into the main hall in his socks.<p>

"Meh daughter is on te streets awl alone!" He rushed through the front door, dodging cars in the parking lot. The arriving guests were befuddled at his crazy dancing through the lot. "I gotta find 'er!" Mister Christofferson tackled him to ground, dirtying up his clean clothes, but it was a small sacrifice to make.

"Calm down! I'll get meh car an' go get 'er!"

"Why," he fought the older man off, "wosn' she 'ere ta begin wiff? ! She came wiff te otheh girls!" He paused for a moment, contemplating. "Didn' she?" He turned to Russel for some sort of explanation. The man shrugged and patted his friend on the shoulder.

"I'll talk with the girls. You get back inside, Mister Christofferson'll go find her." But as the men started to go their separate paths, Bernadine hurried out to the parking lot, urging them to get inside. They couldn't even explain what had happened, nor would she listen. They were bundled inside for the ceremony.

"Mister Pot?" Arthur asked in a low voice. "Is Cyan in the room with the women? She promised we cewd run off some steam b'fore the ceremony started."

"She's not 'ere," 2D replied in a melancholy voice. "She got left be'ind."

"Wot?"

The blunette's face lit up with a stroke of genius. "Arthur! Can yew go out an' try an' find 'er? I got a cawl sayin' she wos on 'er way on a quad. Can yew do tha'?" At that moment, Bernadine pushed Arthur into place at the aisle. She hurriedly explained his role then rushed off.

Arthur glanced around. Russel was going to bring him the pillows and rings, because they trusted him with them. He couldn't see the man at the moment. The boy quickly found his way across the music hall to the room where the women were getting ready. He knocked hastily on the door, looking around in case he was spotted by a certain wedding planner.

His mother answered the door. "Oh...we were 'opin' ih wos Cyan."

"Yew mean...yew don' know?"

"Know wot?" Sunshine peered around.

"Cyan isn' 'ere! At awl!"

"What? !" Noodle yanked the door open all the way. She didn't have her dress on just yet, but was clad in a white robe. Her hair was half-fixed, one side sleek and straitened, the other still short and choppy. He noticed her bruise had been touched up a bit, but not completely covered. He gave her kudos to not wanting to completely hide it. Even after it would fade, her hyphema fracture would leave her damaged eye permanently blood-shot, at least that's what Cyan said. "We...Bernadine said Cyan was with her."

"Mister Pot said someone cawled 'im an' said they saw Cyan on a quad back in Valleyridge."

"I'm gonna kill her!" Noodle started to step out, but her bridesmaids latched on. "That woman abandoned her! I have to find her."

"Don' worry, Miss Noodle," Arthur assured her. "I'm gonna sneak away an' get 'er. She can' be too far off. She said she knows the way 'ere."

"Do that, Art. Quick." The women retreated back inside and when he turned, he realized why. Bernadine was walking over, but she hadn't spotted him yet. He ducked under the nearest table, pulling the tablecloth down after he disappeared. He peered underneath at her marching shoes. As soon as she passed, he scrambled out and raced for the main doorway of the hall.

The people had all been herded inside, so the parking lot was no longer a death trap. The boy weaved among cars to reach the driveway. It was quite a ways to main road since the music hall was set a little off from the city noise inside a park. He kept running, loosening his jacket and cummerbund as he went. He felt like tossing them off like 2D had done.

He slowed to a walk, gasping for breath. The sounds of the cars on the main roads were much closer now. The blood pounded in his ears, but he forced himself to keep going. He crouched to the ground as soon as he reached the road, trying to even his breathing. He kept his head raised, searching among the rushing vehicles for a quad, or at least a small girl in a dress.

A large articulated truck started turning at the corner. At that very moment, Cyan and quad came zooming from across the road, swerving to miss the front grille. The girl tumbled off and rolled across the road. The truck came to screeching halt. She looked around and clambered back on the quad, in too big of a hurry to even apologize. "Art!" she called out when she spied him.

" 'Urry, the ceremony's beginnin'!" She let him climb on behind her. "Wot 'appened ta yew?"

"Tha' doesn' matteh!" she shouted over the wind. "Wot does matteh is tha' I need ta attend t'is weddin'!"

* * *

><p>2D stood at the altar, his hands stuffed in his pockets and his face downcast. The word was quickly spread among their guests. His daughter was missing. The blunette glanced across the room at Russel, who shrugged, his face matching his friend's. The only solace they had was that Arthur was missing, meaning he'd kept his vow and went out to find Cyan.<p>

The music started. 2D felt empty. This was his wedding day, it was supposed to be the best day of his life, the beginning of his and Noodle's future together. But Cyan wasn't here. His attention was drawn as the participants started walking down the aisle. Each nodded at him to show their support. Even the little flower girls looked worried, though he was positive they had no idea what was going on.

Noodle finally stepped down the aisle, slowly approaching him. Yet her face was as downcast as his, if not more. Her could see her inhales were shaky. She was fighting the tears that threatened to spill out. He glanced off as Noodle took her place in front of him, seeing Bernadine with a triumphant look on her face. _Keep yer damn perfect score. Yew did t'is, I know yew did._

The pastor looked at each of them, his face sympathetic, meaning he had obviously heard of what happened. But as he opened his mouth to speak, a strange humming noise echoed in the hall. Everyone turned toward the man doors. They were shut, but the sound grew stronger and stronger. It suddenly cut out, but they could still hear different sounds. Something slammed against the shut doors. A small voice cried out in pain. Before anyone could stop them, the two flower girls, Cassidy and Cassandra, rushed down the aisle and unlocked the doors that weren't supposed to be locked.

Arthur and Cyan barreled forward down the walk way. Both were dirtied up and disheveled. Cyan's locks had come loose from their braids and were sticking to her sweaty face. They both continued down the aisle, even though their steps were wavering and it was obvious that they were exhausted.

2D dropped to the floor so he could scoop his daughter into his arms. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Wot do yew 'ave ta be sorry about?"

"I don' know...but I felt te need ta say ih."

"Don't cry, don't cry," Noodle was whispering to herself, covering her face. 2D stepped back onto the altar and managed to embrace both his daughter and bride. The people slowly stood from their chairs, applauding in a roar of approval.

"No!" Bernadine marched toward them, her features blazing in anger. "I knew you would ruin zis wedding!"

"The only one who ruined this wedding was you!" Noodle snapped. "You purposely left Cyan behind."

"She ees not even your daughter, she ruined everything. I knew she would. I wanted everytheeng to be perfect."

"And it is, now that Cyan is here. Listen to me, I would never want this child to be left out of anything we do as a family. And if you have a problem with that, then stay away and don't return."

"We could sue you," Russel threatened.

The wedding planner backed away. "Fine zen. I will stay out." She hurried off, her rage still emanating from her.

2D set his daughter down so she could take her place among the bridesmaids and the ceremony could truly begin. As the bride and groom faced each other, Russel handed Arthur the rings so he could play his part.

* * *

><p>"I lewked around, but I wos trapped! Bernadine 'ad padlocks on te door an' 'ad nailed te garage door shut. I dislocated meh shoulders ta slip out from meh binds an' picked up a nail." Cyan re-told her amazing escape with grand fervor and gestures. The twin flower girls watch in rapt attention, completely struck with awe at their new hero. Their older brother, Nate, watched as well, an expression of slight interest on his face even though he didn't believe a word.<p>

"Hmm," Noodle watched the child with a large smile on her face. She had changed into her reception dress for the party currently in motion. People were milling about, talking, laughing, and snacking from the tables. While the main hall was converted into the dance floor, everyone was out in the garden.

"Quite a story teller, huh?" said Russel, standing next to her, watching the child sprawled on the blanket in the grass.

"Yep. I don't see any harm in it." Her green eyes glanced down at the gorgeous ring on her left hand. She couldn't help but admire it and what it said. It told her she was bonded to 2D, his daughter, and the future. "You should find a nice girl."

Russel gave her a funny look and rushed off before she could say anything else. Noodle almost laughed. She had seen Russel with women before, but could never envision an actual wife. Besides, he had a daughter without even needing a girl. All he needed was FedEx. _That's a story. There's no stork, but there is a FedEx crate that delivers ten-year old girls to three single men. _

"Noodle," 2D grabbed her from behind, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Te floor's ready."

"Okay everyone!" she raised her voice to be heard. "The party's on!" The crowd of people returned into the building, the sky was getting dark anyway. The smaller tables from the ceremony were gone, replaced by long, rectangular ones the spanned the whole room with the dance floor in the center. The food was being served in the foyer to give people plenty of room to move about. Instruments were being set on stage to accommodate the evening.

Cyan looked around in awe. Gorgeous flower arrangements in blues and greens. The table cloth even had an oceanic pattern to it, a lot of swirls and waves. The lights were toned a soft grayish tone, like mist on the open sea. She couldn't quite recall ocean being the theme. It was wonderful though.

"Noodle," Cyan grabbed the woman's arm before she could sweep past, "where do te kids sit?"

"You sit wherever you feel like sitting."

The child's face broke in a grin. "Yew mean t'ere's no kids table?"

"Nope, go find your own seat."

Few children were in attendance. Cyan chose to stick by the ones she actually knew. So she, Arthur, Nate, and the twins, settled to the right-side table, having easy access to the floor and the nearby bathrooms. Dinner was served buffet style, offering different courses for everyone and their conflicting tastes. With her plate full, she returned to their self-designated spots. The twins had picked up some chopsticks and were pretending to be walruses by sticking them in their top lips.

The music started playing as people dined and conversed with one another. Noodle and 2D sat at the center of the top table and, of course, were the center of attention. Most of these people had been strangers mere months ago, but now were guests at a wedding that meant so much more than they were led to believe. A roar of applause broke out as the food from second and third helpings slowly faded from the plates. 2D and Noodle had stood up and were taking their places on the dance floor.

"Ih's so wonderful!" some hysteric guest squealed, causing Cyan to roll her eyes.

2D danced with Noodle held close to his body, like he was afraid she would be stolen from him. And she took notice. "You can relax, you know."

"I know...I jus' can' get wot Bernadine did outta meh 'ead."

Noodle sighed, trying to block it out herself. "I'm almost tempted to jump on stage and show them what _we _can do."

"Now love, t'ose days are oveh."

"But are they really? Forget about the band, remember the music. That's what I loved. Not the notoriety, the fame, the money, the touring, I loved making music with you and Russel...and Murdoc, wherever he is."

"Don' mention tha' name," he kissed the crown of her head.

They both stopped moving when Russel approached them. 2D looked aghast at this, but Noodle laughed as the man cut between the two. "Time for the bride to dance with her father." People contributed their laughter as the bluenette stood, dumbstruck as his bride was whisked away. Their guests began to join them on the floor.

_Oh yeah? I'll show yew. _2D turned and marched up to his daughter. He bowed deeply and asked, "Wewd yew care ta dance?" She stared at him with wide eyes before jumping out of her seat. He scooped her into his arms after realizing that if they tried to dance the traditional way, he'd probably develop a kink in his spine. As he returned to the dance floor, he couldn't help but notice a look of jealousy on Arthur's face. Everyone cooed at the sight of 2D dancing with his daughter.

Once the first dance was over, Noodle was returned to her husband. Russel cracked up. "Think about it, ya probably won' get to dance again like that until _her_ wedding." 2D looked back at him, his mouth hanging open at the thought. _His _daughter getting married? The thought seemed so astronomical from reality that he wouldn't accept it. "I'm jus' playin' with ya, Stuart."

"Let 'em eat cake!" Cyan announced when she caught sight of the gorgeous wedding cake being brought out. Her call summoned everyone's attention to the long-awaited prize. People crowded around, eager to claim a slice of the sweetness. Noodle and 2D broke through to perform the ceremonial cut. The bride bent down to speak with Cyan quickly while 2D's back was turned. He didn't notice what she held behind her back.

The two pieces were cut. As both took their mouthfuls, fed by the other, Noodle's arm shot out. Soon 2D had a face full of whipped cream. Cyan and the other children attacked, each armed with their own can. Soon both the bride and groom, and a few others who didn't move in time, were covered in the stuff. The whole crowd was laughing at the sight. Noodle licked her arm clean as 2D attacked her face.

The final piece of tradition came soon after. the bouquet toss. All the single women, and a few not-so singles, left their cake unguarded and gathered on the dance floor. Cyan started to step out, but her father grabbed her by the shoulder and hissed, "Yew catch tha' bouquet an' I'm rippin' ih up." She stayed put.

_Protective much?_

As the celebration moved to the later hours, the alcohol began to fill people's systems. But eventually everything died down. Noodle did end up jumping on stage, but she only stole the acoustic guitar and played along. It didn't fill the need of performing again, but she was satisfied. Russel left a bit early, saying he had a quick errand. He had nodded at 2D when he said this. Cyan had disappeared again, and the entire place was almost turned upside-down before she was found under one of the table with the twin flower girls, fast asleep.

"I think it's that time," Noodle yawned as she said this. The party was a huge success and now her future was sealed with the man she loved. This was their home. Not a decrepit studio full of zombies, or a floating landfill. An actual house with a yard, with neighbors, and with children to help Cyan adjust to life. It was wonderful.

But the surprises of the night weren't over just yet. 2D looked incredibly eager the whole drive home. He coaxed them to the door almost impatiently. He flung the door open and Cyan, who was wavering on her feet, found herself attacked by a colossal dog, since she was the only one at even height. She fell backward, giving the dog easy access to her face.

"Stuart," Noodle started, but Russel appeared from inside the house to join them in the run.

"Don' go blamin' him, I was in on it."

"You two got her a dog?"

"Biggest one we cewd find," said 2D. " 'E's about two years old. Bull Mastiff. Nobody really wonted 'im fer some reason, so we picked 'im up. T'ey're supposed ta be real friendly."

"You couldn't ask my opinion?" she wasn't upset, not at all.

"Um..." 2D was lost for words.

Cyan shot up and hugged him tightly around his waist. " 'Fank yew! 'Fank yew! 'Fank yew! I love 'im!" She grabbed the dog by the nylon collar around his neck and guided him inside. He had no trouble eagerly following her.

"The dog stays," Noodle said as soon as the two disappeared upstairs.

* * *

><p><em>Three weeks later <em>(just imagine the mice from Babe)

"Lookie what we got," Russel dropped the mail on the table, holding up a single letter. "Old Bernadine sent us a 'thank you' fo' savin' her career."

"Wot?" 2D looked up in disbelief. "Who wos in charge o' Bernadine's performance review?" he asked accusingly. He cast his gaze over each of them, even going as far as to stare down Ferdinand the dog. The poor animal slipped under the table to escape his gaze, where Cyan fed him some toast.

"I was the one who saw it first," Noodle explained, "but I didn't want to do it. I gave it to Cyan because Bernadine had it out for her." The three adults looked over to the child, who was nonchalantly munching her cereal. "You...you gave her a perfect score?"

Cyan shrugged. "I wrote 'needs some improvement'. But otheh t'an tha'...yeah, I did."

"Why?" asked Russel. "She locked ya in the garage."

"I cewd o' gotten out at any time I wonted. Which reminds me, we need a new lock on te garage door. I broke ih." She shoveled another spoonful of cereal into her mouth, chewing loudly, as if trying to block out their responses.

"I still don't understand," said Noodle.

"Lewk, despite wot she did, I 'ad a great time. We awl did, right?" They nodded in agreement. "So, ih didn' really matteh wot she did ta me. I won' see 'er again. An' te party wos a smash. In meh eyes, she did a killeh job."

"So...you don't hold what she did against her?"

"Oh I'm pissed awlright, but I decided ta be fair in te review. I 'ad a good time, te decorations were lovely, as wos te food, an' te music. A perfect score fer ta perfect weddin'. I 'fink we can awl agree on tha'." She picked up her cereal bowl and headed upstairs to watch television. Normally, they didn't let her do this. But they were too stunned to object.

* * *

><p>over 9000! (words, that is) What an accomplishment!<p> 


	35. Bonus: Unexpected Results

Unexpected Results

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>"Yer wot?" 2D asked, a look of complete disbelief on his face. As of that moment, he was half between wanting to believe the words that Noodle had just spoken, and not wanting to believe. He couldn't fathom why this wouldn't be joyous, but some inner instinct immediately kicked into hyper-drive and said bad things were coming.<p>

Noodle smiled, blushing slightly. "I'm pregnant," she repeated. The other two members of their pseudo family stared back in as much of a daze as her husband. Russel looked halfway between joy and rage, despite the fact that they were married. Cyan...she couldn't really read Cyan's expression. The girl just stared at her. Those ocean eyes tore right into the soul when she wanted them to.

Russel mustered a smile and congratulated them. It was obvious that he was mad at this situation. There was a reason Noodle never had a boyfriend. It appeared that being married to the father was calming him, but it very slowly. 2D made sure to stay clear across the kitchen, lest he be neutered with a butcher knife.

"T'is is...t'is is wondehful, love!" 2D swooped her up into his arms. "We're 'avin' a baby! Cyan, yew'll 'ave a li'le brotheh or sisteh." He looked over to his daughter, who was still not betraying her inner emotions. Her face as still passive, but her chest was heaving and her mouth was half-open as well. _She's not gonna 'ave a panic attack oveh t'is, right? _

"Cy," said Russel, trying to get her attention. "Ain'chu happy?"

"I'm not sure," she replied in a whisper. She looked like she was miles away. Her eyes were far-off and she wouldn't focus on any of them. She suddenly stood up and walked out the sliding glass door, leaving them to ponder her intentions.

* * *

><p>"Well...I guess if meh parents decided ta 'ave another kid, I'd be a li'le steamed at firs'. But think o' the benefits! Yew'll be a role model." Arthur circled his friend on his bike. Cyan was standing in the the middle of the road, her own bike beside her. She'd just relayed the news to her friend and openly admitted her confusion over her own reaction. "Jus' give ih some time, yew'll get used ta ih."<p>

"I...I'm not sure I will. T'ey were so 'appy an' I...I cewdn' even muster a smile. I don' know wot's wrong wiff me. I mean, te situation's new ta me an' I neveh wos a fan o' tha', but I shewd be 'appy! Or at least mad, some emotion!" She sighed and swung her leg over her bike. "Maybe I jus' need ta clear meh mind. I'm sure, deep down inside, tha' I'm overjoyed, I jus' need ta find ih."

They rode out of the area, a destination not really in mind. They simply cruised around as Cyan looked for the joy she should be feeling in a very literal way. They paused by the music shop, city hall, the community center, before taking off down the dirt road to the lake. It was early September at this moment, and the rarest sunshine was still streaming through to warm the land. The lake was in use at the moment. Not just the townsfolk were congregating, but city folk as well, getting away from it all. The kids skirted around the edge of the water until they came to a small spot completely deserted.

"I still can' find meh joy," Cyan tucked her knees against her chest as she sat on a large flat rock. "T'ere's gotta be some reason I don' feel good 'bout t'is. I don' feel at awl!"

"Maybe yer jus' in shock." Arthur picked along the shore for skipping stones. "I mean...yer an only child, this 'as got ta come as a shock."

It was in that moment that reality struck. _I'm not an only sibling, _she remembered. She knew the stories but had never thought anything of them. There were others, fellow bastard children fathered by 2D. She did have siblings already. And maybe _they _had siblings not by her father. _If I cewd jus' find 'em, I can find out wot 'avin' a new siblin' will be like. _She almost immediately struck down that plan. 2D had been easy to find because he wasn't going anywhere back then. And it wasn't like his location was being kept secret. What chance did she have to find her half-siblings, who could be anywhere?

"Yew wanna try?" Arthur's voice brought her back. He held out a flat pebble.

"No 'fanks. Not in te mood."

"Aww." They both looked upward to see gray clouds rolling in. "Well, the sun cewdn' last forever. I say we beat ih b'fore we get soaked. I'm sure yew'll find yer joy someway some'ow, an' ya got nine months ta do ih. Ya got time, jus' give ih thought."

"Yew 'finkin' 'bout becomin' a therapist when yew grow up?"

"Nope!" he made a popping sound with his lips at the end of the word. They joined the stream of people leaving the lake and headed home at a steady speed. Through this return, Cyan realized that she was the one setting the pace. And it was a rather slow one at that. It was almost as if she didn't want to go home. She didn't want to face her future. "Bye!" Arthur left her to ascend the slope on her own.

"See ya," she replied softly. The roadway slope wasn't a steep incline like the hill from the Norsby's residence to her own. The roadway had been flattened a bit, so it wasn't a hard route to ride up. But she jumped off her bike anyway and walked it up. The slower the better it seemed. _Is meh reaction normal? Not feelin' anythin'?_

She put her bike away in the garage, rousing Ferdinand to come running from the backyard. He collided with her in the run. She retained her footing and slipped through the door, hanging onto his collar to keep him from running off and making noise, alerting her family that she had returned. They weren't in the kitchen or sitting room. Cyan looked around in confusion. Stylo was still here, so they couldn't have gone into town. Her fears were eased when she heard voices upstairs.

She released Ferdinand and climbed to the second floor balcony. The television was off, the door to the master bedroom was open, but no one was inside, and the door to the attic was firmly closed. She instinctively turned to her room. The door was open just a bit, enough that the three voices could carry to the downstairs.

"What are we going to do?" That was Noodle. "There's just not enough room."

"Whoever built this house obviously didn' think an actual family was movin' in," said Russel. "Jus' two bedrooms an' mine's the basement."

"I neveh really envisioned more kids," said 2D. "Maybe afteh Cyan 'ad moved out an' we cewd use t'is room. So wot shewd we do? No sane kid's gonna share a room wiff an infant."

"Maybe Cyan in the attic?" Noodle suggested. "There's sufficient room up there since we didn't have anything with us when we moved in. She could adapt."

The child pulled away from the door. Horror gripped her heart. They were going to toss her into the attic to make room for the baby! _Noodle's _baby, the baby _she _was having. _A new beginnin', _she wondered to herself. _I guess...t'ey wont ta get ih right. A perfect child, not a broken bastard offspring tha' Da' pro'lly neveh wonted ta 'ave. _She erased all memory of her and 2D on Plastic Beach. _'E pro'lly awlways 'ated 'avin' me around. I'll prove mehself ta 'em! _She darted downstairs.

"No," Noodle whimpered. "I don't want to move her against her will. Why'd she have to run off? She needs to be here to help us with the decision."

Cyan had started her laundry earlier so a good supply of her clothing was down in the laundry room. She found her backpack and stuffed some clothing into it. She raided the fridge and placed supplies into the front pocket. She also rolled up a few blankets and tied them with string to her waist. She was out the door in record time. When she had retrieved her bike and faced it toward the Hills, she realized Ferdinand was eagerly waiting for her.

"Tha's a good idea," she said out loud. She made a clicking sound, since she couldn't whistle, and the bull mastiff followed her down the slope and out into the plain. The clouds were still moving in, blue sky still quite evident, but they had blocked out the sun. Her pedaling became more labored as the long, unkempt grass tangled in her chain. She yelped as her bike came to an abrupt halt and she was flipped over the handlebars. "Who needs ya?" she abandoned it and continued on.

A gentle rain began to fall, not an all-out downpour. She was fine with it, a little water never hurt anyone. Ferdinand bounded around her. There were times where his head was the only thing sticking out of the tall grass. Cyan stopped at the foot of the first hill. Several times she'd been told to stay away, but this was the perfect place to hide out at. There were pamphlets at city hall and the community center about each Hill and special things about them.

The climb began. She skirted around the foot of what she was sure was Hollowridge to find a better beginning point. The rain, though slow, had slickened some rocks, making them hard to grip. She fell twice, bruising her knees and scraping her arm, but pressed onward. Ferdinand was always right behind her. She was terrified when he darted off once, but it was just to investigate a rabbit hole.

It was a good twenty minutes before she found a suitable temporary home and by then, she was soaked. The cave was an opening to the tunnels in Hollowridge, but she vowed to stay up front and not venture to the back and get lost. "T'is'll be good," she said to Ferdinand. "I'll work out meh defects an' prove I'm worth keepin'. T'ey'll feel bad 'bout eveh 'finkin' 'bout gettin' rid o' me." She rolled out the blankets and gave the mastiff some bread with peanut butter spread on by her fingers. _We'll be okay..._

* * *

><p>Mister Christofferson's head jerked at the sound of rapid banging on the front door. He set his fork down and got to talk with whoever it was that had interrupted dinner. He wasn't a very traditional person, but people shouldn't come calling at dinnertime. His annoyance was erased as he opened the door to reveal a disheveled 2D, who looked as though he was slowly losing his mind. "Stuart?"<p>

"I'm beggin' ta God t'is works!" he exclaimed.

"Chris?" Poppy Norsby and Arthur peered out from the dining room. "Is tha' Stuart?"

"Art!" the man burst through the doorway and right up to the boy, who looked very uncomfortable with this situation. "Please! Ya gotta tell me, did Cyan meet up wiff yew when she left meh 'ouse?"

"Y-yeah, we went ta the lake. We went through Northridge. But...tha' wos three 'ours ago."

"I know!" 2D gripped Arthur by his shoulders. "She left wiff yew an' she neveh came back! We 'aven' seen 'er since she left te firs' time! I'm losin' meh mind!" He released the boy and turned the Mister Christofferson. "I don' know wot ta do."

So the older man took over. "Poppy, cawl the police an' report a missin' child. Stuart, did anythin' 'appen tha' cewd've upset Cyan? Enough tha' she wewdn' wont ta go back 'ome?"

2D breathed deeply. "Noodle announced tha' she wos pregnant. Cyan...she...she didn' really react in any way. But she left soon afteh an' 'asn' come back. Ferdie's missin' too."

"Ferdinand wosn' with us," Arthur spoke up. "We rode bikes ta the lake, the clouds rolled in, we went 'ome, I left 'er ta climb the 'ill ta yer 'ouse, an' tha' wos the las' time I saw 'er."

"She must've come 'ome," said Mister Christofferson. "Then she left again. Ferdinand followed 'er wherever she went. Did'ya check 'er room an' the garage?"

"We were in 'er room, t'en we were downstairs. She cewdn' 'ave snuck in wiffout one o' us seein' 'er." He paused for a moment. "Wait, Russ said we were missin' some stuff from te fridge an' cupboards. Ya 'fink she tewk ih?" He suddenly gripped his short hair and tugged mercilessly at it.

"Stop ih," Mister Christofferson yanked his arms down. "Yew said Noodle announced she wos pregnant, maybe Cyan cewdn' accept tha'."

"I don' know! I neveh 'ad any siblin's."

"I 'ave a twin brother named Christopher an' I'll tell yew, we fought awl the time, but we wewd awlways stick up fer each other. Poppy came from large family, she cewd pro'lly tell ya 'bout rivalries between siblin's tha' are separated by more than ten minutes in age."

The woman walked in and set the phone in its port. "They'll arrive at yer 'ouse shortly. I 'eard wot'cha said an' I 'ave plenty o' experience with siblin's. They're were plenty o' times tha' I wonted ta throw meh brothers an' sisters out the window, but I knew, deep down inside, tha' I cewdn' live without 'em. I got pissed each time Mum said she wos pregnant, but each baby 'ad new opportunities."

2D returned to his own home as soon as his conversation was over. The two policemen showed up soon afterward, followed by Noodle, who had gone searching throughout the neighborhood. Russel had taken Stylo into town and hadn't returned just yet. But they each had a feeling he wouldn't find her.

" 'Ere," 2D handed the officers the most recent picture they had of Cyan. "Please, yew 'ave ta find 'er. I don' know wot I'll do if she's gone."

"We'll do our best. Now, yew say the dog is gone as well?"

"Yes," Noodle replied. "He has his tags on though. Whoever finds him will just return him. Cy probably doesn't want to be found. Ferdinand will come home eagerly."

"But wot Mister Pot said earlier indicates tha' Ferdinand will stay with Cyan. 'Is loyalty ta 'er will drive 'im ta stay. So if we 'appen ta find the dog, we can release 'im an' 'e'll lead us back ta where she's 'idin'." He sighed sadly, knowing what he was going to say next would upset them. "Look, we got some trainees comin' over. With 'em, we'll fan out a few miles from the 'ouse, but if we don' find 'er, we'll pick up the search in the mornin'."

Both Noodle and 2D inhaled sharply, but nodded that they understood. The woman couldn't help but realize something. It was raining out, so Cyan was very likely seeking shelter. Besides trees and houses, each of which she checked in the area, there wasn't much else to hide under. Cyan was smart, she would go somewhere far, but also suitable for temporary shelter. This search was going to turn up with nothing.

Despite these thoughts, she and 2D, and Russel upon his return, joined in with the trainees. They combed through the patch of woodland, double-checked homes and yards, and finally spread out to the plain. The Norsbys chipped in as well. Arthur was questioned several times on whether Cyan had given any indication on where she would go. He simply didn't know.

It was late and everyone was soaked by the time the search was closed for the night. Russel used the last few, frantic minutes to rush through the long grass and step on something hidden. He hoisted up the object and rushed back to the others. Several torches shown on it at once. Cyan's bicycle. "So she did go this way."

" 'Ow much yew wanna bet she's in the 'Ills?" said Mister Christofferson.

"Save that bet until tomorrow," Noodle sighed. "We can't go up there in the dark, even with our torches. It's too dangerous."

"But love-" 2D started.

"If Cyan's got the right idea, she's hiding under shelter. She'll survive until the morning. She survived for two years," she whispered the last bit to 2D alone. They had no choice. They had to wait until the morning.

* * *

><p>The runoff of last night's showers dripped into tiny streams that descended the rocks and outcrops until they either joined with Fallridge or continued to the plains to transform it to temporary marshland. Morning sunshine was a welcome sight, but it wasn't meant to last. Gray clouds were sparse in the pale sky, but they would congregate together and drown the land. The plains drank in the temporary sunlight to at least dissipate some of the water.<p>

Cyan was very fortunate to have found her shelter last night. The cave had a small dip at the entrance that acted as natural drain, leading the rainwater away. She checked her phone for the time and decided things had to begin. Her plan was to prove to her family that she was able to function despite her handicaps. She would exercise the wrist and force herself to overcome her panic attacks.

"I con do t'is," she said to Ferdinand. "I'll prove I'm still good." She was glad he was with her. The dog couldn't reply, but his bit of company meant so much to her.

Maybe there was a sense that surviving on one's own in the wild made them feel all the more important in their lives. It was hard thing to do. Though the town was a half-hour walk from where she was now, she wouldn't give in. She had her supplies, then she'd forage. Plenty of animals lived up here, they had to get their food from somewhere.

"Firs' 'fings firs', strengthenin' te wrist."

* * *

><p>Word spread quickly of Cyan's disappearance. The phrase 'it takes a village to raise a child' actually had reference here. As a child and family-friendly town, the people of Valleyridge took their young ones' lives and growth very seriously. They knew in their hearts that if their own child disappeared, everyone else would help locate them, so why shouldn't they help with someone else?<p>

Many people only knew Cyan as the quiet girl working in the music shop with the strange hair she had somehow inherited from her father. In reality, she only had one true friend, Arthur, the neighborhood kids were more like acquaintances. They'd show up and hang around, but didn't know her on personal level.

Despite some never even being introduced to the girl, several folk rose to the occasion. A child was out on the Hills and she didn't want to go home. Whether she was lost or living out there didn't matter, she shouldn't be doing it in the first place. So people braved the swamp that had been converted from the grass plain during the night and made their way into the slopes.

"Span out," said Russel, taking over this operation when it became apparent 2D couldn't muster enough leadership in his grief for unintentionally driving away his child. They still weren't quite sure if it was the news of a new baby that had made her leave, but either way, 2D immediately blamed himself. "Cy's real smart, if she don' wanna be found, she'll go above an' beyond to make it so."

Unfortunately, he was right. Cyan heard them coming and retreated into her cave. Upon arrival, she vowed not to venture beyond the entrance, but these people would ruin her training. Desperate times call for desperate measures. She gathered her things and ducked into the darkness, feeling her way until she was sure she was hidden. Ferdinand was beside her and she had to keep reassuring him so he wouldn't bark and reveal their location. People came and went. They didn't find her.

_Why awl t'is? _she wondered. People rarely came to the Hills. Tourists did a lot, but even they didn't make this much noise. And these people were calling for her. _Maybe t'ey wont me back, _she thought. _No, I 'ave ta prove I'm not broken. _Ferdinand whined, his cries echoing off the walls of the tunnel. "Easy boy," she whispered, but it did little to calm him.

Before she could stop him, the bull mastiff burst into the entrance, welcomed by the cries of surprise from the searchers. He had given away her cover and she had no choice but to retreat further away. She moved further and further, re-checking each time that she had open space. The last thing she wanted would be to have a panic attack. She almost slipped off the edge, but managed to climb down and shelter beside the wall. She had no light and no way of knowing where she was.

"Bring the dog," came a distant voice. Then there were no more.

_T'ey tewk Ferdinand. _It was okay, he had his tags, they'd take him home. She would be fine on her own. She'd done it before.

* * *

><p>"Sniff ih! Take us to 'er!" 2D held one of Cyan's shoes in front of the dog's nose, but he just wagged his tail. He gave the sole of the shoe a few god licks, but did nothing further. "Yew worthless dog...wot good are ya if ya can' take us to 'er?" Ferdinand licked his hand. "Wot's ta point?"<p>

"No!" Noodle called out. The film of dark clouds unleashed the downpour that had built up throughout the morning. They were soaked in seconds. They tried to continue, but when people started sliding down the slope and the rivers of Fallridge overflowed, it had to be called off. 2D was incredibly reluctant to go. He vowed to shelter under an overhang and not leave until he found his daughter, but when Noodle started sneezing, he consented and returned home with her and Russel.

"Yew think she's 'urt?" Arthur and Russel had agreed to meet in secrecy so the others wouldn't be involved. "I don' know why she wewd wont ta be alone."

"Art, I'm goin' back," said Russel. "I gotta find her. The order that I work incredibly hard to keep is outta whack."

"I'm goin' with ya."

"No, you go home," he turned the boy to face down the slope to his home. "If you go missin'...well, I would never fo'give mehself."

"But she's meh friend! I wont ta find 'er as much as any o' yew!"

"An' I'm glad to know Cy's gotta good friend standin' beside her, but this is outta yo' league." He placed a hand on Arthur's head. "Go home." The boy tried to resist even after that, standing firm in his desire to find his friend. But Russel made it clear that Arthur was to remain behind. And so, the boy only saw the large figure disappearing in the direction of the Hills.

Russel waded through the water and grass that wound in tendrils around his ankles. The plains were now marshland in such a short time period. After a while, he took off his shoes and socks to continue onward. The journey took longer, and by the time he was there, the atmosphere was dingy gray. Thunder rumbled a warning in the distance. Once he reached the foot of Hollowridge, a stream of lightning tore across the sky, followed by a roar as the storm reached overhead.

"Great," he muttered. _There's no way Noodle's sleepin' t'night. _Truth was, none of them were sleeping with the knowledge that Cyan was out in this tempest. _Sure I've heard o' siblin' rivalry, but a child actually runnin' away? An' not jus' fo' a few hours, she's been gone fo' a day. _Cyan's skills of resourcefulness weren't new to him. There was the orphanage, her getting out to Plastic Beach, the knife wound, escaping the garage when Bernadine locked her in. With only Mother Nature working against her, maybe there was chance that the little child could actually live out here.

* * *

><p><em>Breathe...breathe... <em>that was all she could silently repeat to herself. By the end of this day, she realized her stiff wrist could easily be functional after some warm-ups to loosen the muscles. It would ache after a while, but nothing serious. So now onto her next handicap-her claustrophobia. Her fear of that crushing darkness squeezing the life out of her was just another taunt at the fact that she was broken.

Her heart beat loudly in her ears, almost blocking out the storm raging outside completely. She had purposely positioned herself inside a dip in the floor and laid all the blankets on top of herself. The sensation of every part of her body being covered up and this horrid darkness immediately seized her fears.

_I con do t'is...I'm okay... _Her heart palpitated and, despite her concentration, she gave into fear, flinging the blankets away. She huddled into the dip, her body quivering violently, but at least she could see the lightning outside. Another bolt streaked over, lighting up the entrance and revealing a hulking shape striding toward her.

Cyan screamed and dove for her bag, pulling out her slingshot. Her hands trembled as she tried and failed to load up some ammunition. The figure towered over her and, in a last ditch effort, she blindly threw the slingshot at its head before curling up to prevent major injury to her internal organs. That was a trick she learned long ago.

"Ow!" the figure barked. "Cyan, why'd ya do that?"

She couldn't believe it. "R...Russel? Issat yew?"

"Yeah. I came to take you home. We've been worried sick."

"I con' go 'ome, not till I show yew I'm not broken."

"Cy...we never thought you were broken."

"T'en why anotheh baby? If I'm good enough, why 'ave anotheh? I'll tell ya why!" she said before he could say anything. "Yew wont ta replace me, yew don' wanna busted kid, so yer awl restartin'."

"Cy, we would never replace ya. An' no child will ever be like you. Think of it like this. Yo' such an amazin' kid, that Stuart an' baby-girl want another kid with the hopes that it'll turn out even half as good as you. They want this child 'cause they're experiences with you made 'em wanna do it all over again. Besides, you don' wanna be treated like a baby, right?"

"I guess not...I jus'...wish...why are yew guys gonna move me?"

"So you did come home!" he realized. "That house was not designed fo' a large family. We don' wanna get rid o' you, we jus' needed a good place fo' the nursery. An' if that's askin' too much, we'll build more rooms."

Cyan listened to him, running scenarios through her head. If what he said was true, then she had overreacted beyond belief. How could she have thought that her father would replace her? All this nonsense, all these stupid actions and she probably gave them all their own panic attacks. A shiver ran up her spine, reminding her where she was. "I wont ta go 'ome, Russ."

"Then let's go home."

* * *

><p>2D had to be forcibly held back from the sodden mess that was his daughter. The first thing to be done was a desperately needed warm bath. After dressing in her pajamas and walking out, she realized Noodle was seated beside the door, back pressed against the wall. "I'm sorry I caused this."<p>

"I'm sorry I scared yew awl," she replied. "Yew don' apologize, yew did nuffink wrong. I'm te one who acted foolishly an' fer tha', I 'ope yew con fo'give me."

"Of course. Cyan, try to remember. In my eyes, and definitely your father's, you can do no wrong. That's why we need Russel around, or else you, and me when I was little, would get away with everything. I'm sorry about trying to move you."

"No, wait," she sank beside the woman. "Build an extension o' te 'ouse. I don' care where ih is. I'll move in t'ere an' willingly give meh room fer te baby."

"You would? Really?"

"I'll do meh part too. T'is _my _li'le brotheh or sisteh an' I wont ta prove I con be te best siblin' out t'ere."

"Thank you," the two embraced, Cyan stealing a chance to press her hand on Noodle's stomach. The area was hardened, but not pushing outward quite yet.

Cyan returned to her 'for-now' room to sleep out the storm in a nice warm bed. She stood in the center, looking at the walls and ceiling. She was getting a new room. Plans had to be made, and definitely before the cold took its grasp. For now, she could enjoy the room. She lacked incense sticks, but found some air freshener spray. She washed the bedspread in it and climbed up, folding her legs, and inhaling the scent that calmed her nerves and mind almost immediately.

_I wos neveh broken._


	36. Bonus: Under Construction

Under Construction

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>"Yew think I cewd 'ave some o' these?"<p>

" 'Ow about we wait till te room's done b'fore ya take 'ome te buildin' materials." Arthur and Cyan weren't supposed to be playing with the equipment, whether the workers were here or not. At the moment, they weren't here. So they got in some playtime before someone, most likely Russel, showed up and told them to stop.

The frame had gone up incredibly fast and flat boards were already being nailed in place. The room actually looked like a room, though it took a bit of imagination. On top of the garage, that's where Cyan wanted it. It was an ideal spot. She and Arthur played up there some times and since there was barrier fence all around it, the grown-ups couldn't object. Within a week, insulation would be installed, then covered up, then things would really get rolling. They had a clock to beat and it was Mother Nature.

Mister Christofferson owned the local hardware store and had a batch of regulars that he personally knew to be great and reliable workmen. Four were hired based on his words and in no time, everything was going smoothly. Rain was reoccurring factor nowadays, resulting in several days being canceled and a tarp being fastened over the framework to keep it from getting wet and rotting.

"I wish I cewda designed meh own room," said Arthur. "Yew got an eye fer this kinda stuff. Gonna be a contractor when yew grow up?"

"Not sure," she replied. "We still gotta long way ta go b'fore we decide wot we wanna be."

"But'cha gotta 'ave some idea. Wot do ya like ta do?"

_Run away an' scare te life outta meh da'. _"I play meh music. Ih's comin' up, ih's comin' up, ih's comin', ih's DARE!" She slammed her foot down on the end of a long board she had placed on a paint can, sending the empty tin can that had held nails sailing up to the top of the garage.

"I think I know tha' song. Is tha' awl yew like ta do?"

"Stop pushin' ih. In my opinion, we awl 'ave a role we fulfill in life an' childhood is te makin' o' te path we choose. When childhood comes ta ihs end, I'll figure ih out. Till t'en, I'll experiment. On tha' note, wot do yew wanna do?"

"When I'm old enough, I'll work fer meh dad at the store. An' not like wot yew do at yer shop, I'll be a real employee, makin' meh wage."

"I 'fink our roles will come ta us in time. We awl gotta purpose." _I do wondeh wot mine is. Wot con I do tha' fits fer a job? If I go an' become a rock star, Da'll yank me outta tha' lifestyle by meh 'air. _

"Hey!" Russel finally caught on and emerged from the house, sending the two children bolting for the treehouse, their only sanctuary since the man couldn't climb up into it.

* * *

><p>this wasn't meant to be long, just a bit of foreshadowing. Cyan's job role will be a reoccurring factor in the chapters that take place in the future and my plan is that when she finally finds what she's meant to do, the bonus chapters and this story are over.<p> 


	37. Bonus: Hollowridge

Hollowridge

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>Primrose reached across the table for the pitcher of orange juice. It happened to be sitting right in the center of the kitchen table. She grunted in slight frustration and folded her legs underneath her body to lift herself onto the table, reaching out to grab it. Her chair slid out and she fell to the floor in a heap. Cyan stood on her chair to peer over the table at her fallen sister.<p>

"I give ih a ten." She settled back in her seat to finish her cereal. Primrose got up and dusted herself off before sitting down, staring forlornly at the pitcher she couldn't reach. It was the visitation weekend for the month of May. Unfortunately, Joel and Primrose would miss their father's birthday. But they were glad to be here anyhow.

Russel walked in at that moment with the knowledge of the day's events. "I'm mannin' the shop since I gotta project to finish. Cyborg's comin' with me to continue in her socialization. But," he shuddered slightly, "Stu and baby-girl gotta meetin' in the city with some potential clients, so Murdoc's babysittin'."

"Ack!" Cyan choked on her cereal. She dropped her spoon on the floor and sprayed chewed-up chunks across the table, wheezing and coughing with Rory's squealing laughter in the background. "Yew'd be betteh off leavin' us undeh te care o' Cortez! I know Misteh Muhdoc wewd die fer us, but 'e don' know crap about basic childcare!"

"I don' like it anymore than you do, but we ain' gotta choice. Cy, Jo, Rosie, yo' all teenagers an' I trust ya. So this is more like you three watchin' Murdoc- an' Rory," he added. "Jus' stay close to home an' don' use the kitchen electronics."

"One time," Joel muttered.

"Yeah, but tha' 'one time' resulted in Cyborg shortin' out," Cyan countered. "If Russel doesn' let Da' use te kitchen, wot makes yew 'fink 'e'd keep lettin' yew afteh tha'?" She swiped her spoon and deposited it in the sink before grabbing a new one from the drawer. As she passed by Rory in his booster seat, he pushed his empty bowl to the floor. That was the game nowadays. She sighed and put it back on his tray. He looked in its empty depths, giving her an expectant look. With the memory of a soggy breakfast stuck to the ceiling, she poured him some dry cereal.

"Jus' do the same thing fo' Muds when he wakes up," Russel walked out and went below to his room, ie: the basement.

The kids continued with their breakfast, surrounded by the sounds of the adults getting ready to begin their busy day. As the shower stopped running from the upper level, Murdoc appeared in the kitchen. "Tha' trek is waaay too long in the mornin'."

"Ya mean the thirty steps ih takes ta get from yer 'Winee-bay-go' ta the front door?" said Joel.

"Don' toy with me, yew li'le sod." He cupped his head and groaned loudly. "D'ya know wot t'day is?"

The kids all exchanged glances. "Saturday?" Primrose said cautiously.

"No, ih's the mornin' after the night b'fore." Rory chose that moment to bang his bowl repeatedly on his tray. Murdoc growled loudly and took it away, holding it above the child's head, right out of his reach. He stared at the Satanist, a look of almost-disbelief on his face. He began to strain to reach it. Murdoc kept dangling it right over him, but didn't let the child even brush his fingers against it.

"Give!" Rory demanded.

"Misteh Muhdoc," Cyan spoke up, "yer bullyin' a toddler." Even she thought he couldn't sink that low.

"I don't need this house divided, especially since we won't be here." Noodle stood near the stairwell, arms crossed, glaring at the man who was hassling her precious son. "Grow up. These thirteen year-olds are more mature than you are."

"Well, love, ya might wanna re-think yer situation," Murdoc dropped the bowl back on Rory's tray. "I'm gonna be wotchin' 'em, so ya better be nicer unless ya wont somethin' ta 'appen ta 'em."

"Let me make this perfectly clear," she advanced forward, causing him to back up. "If anything happens to these kids- _one _scratch!" She got right in his face. "And you will pay dearly."

"Love?" 2D descended the staircase just as Noodle pulled away. "We gotta go."

"Of course," she cheerfully smiled. "Be good kids, don't give Murdoc a hard time."

"Bye meh li'le loves," 2D waved at them, grinning when Rory wildly waved back.

"This house better be standing when we get back," they continued for the door. Cyborg walked in at that moment, all dress for the day. They greeted her then continued out. She walked in and sat patiently, waiting for Russell to re-emerge and take her to the shop for the day. Once he did so, they both said their farewells and disappeared out the door, leaving the Satanist with the children.

No words were exchanged for a while, there was only the sounds of clinking dishes and chewing in the awkward silence. It had been been almost a year since Cyan and Rory's half-siblings began their visitation, but this was the first time they'd been left completely alone with Murdoc. Even Cyborg was around sometimes. This situation was completely new and they were treading carefully. Not that they were scared of him (well, maybe a little) but they didn't know what would specifically set him off. They knew where to call it quits with the other adults in their lives.

"Umm..." Primrose started, a poor attempt to make conversation. If any of them were scared of Murdoc, it was her. "...cewd yew...get me the pitcher?" She pointed to the object out of her reach in the center of the table.

"Ya got arms as gangly as yer dented dad, yew get ih."

She settled back in her chair, wringing her hands nervously. Her amber eyes glanced to the shared blue ones of her half-brother and sister. They shrugged their shoulders. More silence reigned until Cyan muttered something under her breath. "Wot wos tha'?" Murdoc growled, knowing she was the only one who was completely comfortable in his presence, enough that she would act as though he weren't there at all.

"Ní raibh a fhios agam an diabhal bhí chomh maith ag bréagriochta," she said louder. (Translation: I didn't know the Devil was so good at disguises.) Joel and Primrose started snickering. They understood what she just said about as much as Murdoc did, but they knew she only spoke in Irish when she wanted to get away with saying something.

"I know yew jus' insulted me, an' when I find a translator, I'm gonna kill ya fer awl yew've said," he threatened.

She laughed. "Tá mé chomh scanraithe!" (Translation: I'm so scared!)

* * *

><p>"An' tha's 'ow we ended up outside," Joel finished. He, his sisters, Ferdinand, and Arthur were sitting lazily on the slope leading to the Norsby's house. After a back-and-forth with Murdoc that lasted for an hour and a half, Cyan accidentally forgot to speak in Irish and couldn't object when the man picked them all up and tossed them out. Joel had needed his spine popped back in place after the two girls landed on him, but other than that, they were fine.<p>

"I say we go inta town an' whine ta Russel," Primrose decided.

" 'E's busy." Cyan got to her feet, stretching her arms high above her head. "We gotta find somefink ta do until te grown-ups come back. Somefink tha'll keep us entertained, but also..." she turned her head to the house, "..away from te 'ouse. Tha'll show 'im."

"Wot'chu gettin' at?" Joel sat up and stopped dropping blades of grass on Ferdinand's head. He was a follower through and through, and usually nothing was preventing him from unwittingly going with his older sister's ideas. But his views were different depending on what they were doing. He went with her because he thought it'd be fun, or he had the notion in his mind that he'd be able to stop her. Either way, she had him a loyal minion.

"Wot I'm gettin' at is t'is; adults come 'ome...ta no kids. Do yew 'ave any idea 'ow badly t'ey're gonna kick 'is arse?" she clenched her fists in exhilaration.

"Do yew... do yew enjoy givin' our dad a 'eart attack?" Primrose mumbled.

" 'E knows 'ow ta funnel tha' inta rage." Cyan pulled her sister to her feet and sweeped her hand toward the Hills. It was a clear day and the sun was shimmering off the falls of the hill to the far left, Fallridge. "Let's do somefink fun."

Arthur leapt up, his mouth agape in shock. "Yer not suggestin'-"

"Yep!" she interrupted him, "we're goin' ta 'Ollowridge!"

"Yer crazy! We'll get in sooo much trouble! Yer dad'll flip!" He grabbed her arm and shook her as hard as he dared. "Please, let's do somethin' else! We cewd...uh..." he trailed off, desperate to find another project they could all enjoy, but he knew that it was impossible. "Let's ride 'orses!"

"T'ere's only two, tha' wewdn' be fair, an' yer da's too busy ta wotch us," she reminded him.

"But...gyah...we can'..." he spluttered. His head hung in defeat. With nothing else presented to object to Cyan's idea, they would go with it. Even though it was forbidden, even dangerous, and they were sure to get in deep trouble, they were going to Hollowridge. "Yer not fair sometimes."

"I promise," she held up one hand and placed the other on her heart, "tha' I'll wotch out fer awl o' yew. No one's gettin' 'urt while I'm in charge."

"Murdoc's in charge," Joel reminded her.

"But 'e's not goin'."

Arthur was still spluttering as he tried to find some way out of this. "Wait! Yew only got three quads, there's not enough!" He crossed his arms and looked smug, believing he had finally out-smarted her. He joy was shot down when she raised an eyebrow at him, a smug smile on her face as well.

"Prim will pair wiff me, she's not very confident on te quads any'ow." Now the situation was completely hers. She took them the garage, stepping around Cyborg's charger, and opened the garage door. Joel, stationed at the front door, listened for their babysitter's approach. They manually rolled their vehicles out one by one. After distributing helmets, and chaining Ferdinand on his zip run so he wouldn't follow, they started them up and sped down the hill. Cyan glanced over her sister's head to see the door in the run open. _Tha'll show 'im._

Hollowridge was forbidden for very agreeable reasons. The caverns that existed inside the hill were very easy to get lost in. And since the Hills were nobody's property, there were no signs or posts about not trespassing, and the children were aware. So the area was open to all. Local authorities had tried blocking off the entrances to the caverns, but they discovered several species of animals used the tunnels and they couldn't interfere with nature.

Several stories had been passed from mouth to ear around the town about monsters, or skeletons lost in the darkness, people drowning in the underground streams, wanderers breaking bones and being left to starve to death. But even the thought of death and despair weren't enough to ward off the most curious of children. Cyan had been down in the tunnels a few times, following the water feed from Fallridge.

The quads came to a halt at the foot of the rise. The children all looked up the broken slope, a dangerous climb indeed, to the closest entrance to the caverns. "W-we don' actually n-need ta go inside, do we?" asked Primrose. "We c-cewd jus' play on the 'ill. Ih 'as the same effect."

"But tha's no fun," Cyan jumped off her quad and dragged her sister beside her. In her whole life, Cyan had never had so many friends the same age as her. The orphanage kids always made fun of her hair, setting themselves against her and her wrath, which in turn, created the trouble-making bully guise image on herself. There were times she felt as though she was reflecting her hardships on her siblings and friends by being a little too tough. She was manipulative and very good at it.

"D'ya know wot I find fun?" said Joel. "Stayin' alive."

"T'is isn' Fear Factor or anyfink. Ih's not like we're goin' 'ead-long inta te unknown. We've been 'ere b'fore," she gestured to Arthur.

"We didn' go tha' far," he replied.

"An' won' go far t'is time. I promise, jus' a li'le peek." She led them in the lengthy climb upward. The path to the entrance was a basic rock slide and was composed of loose, dry dirt that crumbled beneath their feet. They clung to the plants with strong roots to heave themselves up on small ledges. They were completely out of breath and covered in dust by the time they reached the entrance.

"Wait," said Arthur, "we neveh went through this entrance. Cyan, we've neveh been this way."

"Ih'll be fine, we won' go too far."

"Tha's wot yew said when we firs' went explorin'," he muttered. He crept closer to the entrance, peering inside as far as he could see without the torch in his phone. " 'Ello! Is anyone there? !" he called.

"M1A1, thousand miles an 'our," Cyan sang softly. They listened to the echo fade into the roar of the underground water feed. Since it hadn't rained in so long, Arthur and Cyan weren't worried about the water level.

After the snow storm when the town had to be evacuated to the community center, all that melted water had to go somewhere. The drifts that had piled on the Hills emptied like a funnel. The water feed in Hollowridge overflowed and flooded down the slopes, swamping the plain. Fallridge had freezed over, another contributing factor to the flooding since the feed had nowhere to empty to.

The children crept forward cautiously, Arthur's torch phone lighting the way. The walls of the entrance were smoothed from the natural waterway that had shaped it for hundreds of years. Cyan pressed her hand against the wall, feeling the damp, cold sensation of the polished stone. Nature was amazing. The entryway narrowed quite a bit from the size the entrance was. They couldn't see what was ahead, but the reverberating sound of the water feed told them whatever was ahead was large.

Primrose used her foot to feel her way forward. She could faintly see some sort of shimmering light further in the tunnel. She stopped suddenly, her other senses calling out to her. "Wait!" Cyan went after her slowly disappearing sister. Her outcry made Arthur point his light toward them, but she crashed into Primrose anyway. Both shrieked and clung to one another when they almost tumbled forward. The boys joined them to make sure they were okay, but that was their downfall...literally.

The four children all screamed when the weak outcrop they had been perched on loosened under their combined weight and fell. Thankfully, it wasn't very far, not enough to truly damage them, but enough to shake them up. They were plunged in darkness upon impact. Cyan immediately felt a panic attack approach as she felt the warm bodies of her companions pressed on all sides of her, crushing the life out of her. She fought them away frantically, their shouts of pain and protest only fueling her fear.

"Stop!" Joel reached out blindly and snagged her wrist in an iron grip that she was sure would leave bruises. "Are yew outta yer mind?"

She exhaled a shaky breath. "...Temporarily. Jus' gimme a moment."

"Ah man," said Arthur from the darkness. "Meh phone's busted." The siblings took out their own phones, using the light up screens for torches since they lacked built-in lights. They swung their hands around, trying to light the whole room to see where they had ended up. It was an open cavern with a curved ceiling that stretched way high above their heads. The water feed split down the center of the room in a river that was too wide for them to jump. There were also small holes in the walls where water was leaking from. The part of the room they had fallen in was sloped like a dish, which was the reason why the fall from the ledge had seemed so dramatic. Their entryway was too far to reach.

Primrose looked upward to find whatever it was that had led her to approach the ledge in the first place. Clumps of dewy moss grew all over near the holes in the walls. Wet moss had made her doom the others. The children got to the their feet, first sizing up the hole where they'd fallen from. They knew they couldn't reach it, even if they stood on each other. "This is my fault," Primrose whimpered.

"No, ih's mine," Cyan assured her, "I brought us 'ere. But I promise, I'll get us out." She climbed the sloped edge of the river bank to look at the size. After deeming it too wide, she slid back down and began investigating the rest of their side of the room. "T'is may be a bit 'arder t'an I 'fought. If only we cewd get back ta te tunnels I'm familiar wiff."

"Start thinkin'," said Joel, who was trying to jump up the ledge.

"Not ace," Cyan muttered to herself, "not ace." She pulled out the flick knife from pants pocket. She made a point of carrying it with her even when she didn't have the wrist guard on to conceal it. She chipped away at the wall to see if foot and hand holds were possible. No such luck. "Ya eveh see 127 'Ours?"

"Our 'ands aren' trapped," said Arthur.

"Same basic principle." She hung her head in despair. "I'm so stupid, we shewd've told someone where we were goin'."

" 'Ey now," said Joel, "this place can' possibly be tha' big. We'll find our way out. Or at least back ta the tunnels yew know."

"If tha's so," she scaled the side of the river bank, "we're gonna need ta wade firs'." The others joined her at the edge, testing the cold water with their hands. They all stepped in, phones held above their heads, shivering as they fought the current to cross to the other side.

* * *

><p>" 'Ey brats," Murdoc ventured into the back yard, "unless ya wanna starve, get in 'ere." Silence. The children he was supposed to be watching were gone. Ferdinand was barking loudly and straining at the end of his chain. The Satanist grunted and turned to the side yard facing down the hill to the Norsby's house, where the children had been sitting no more than an hour ago. A slight fear rose in his chest as he wandered to the portion of yard on the other side, where his Winnebago was stationed. He looked down the gentle incline to the small patch of trees where the treehouse and swing were. No kids. He finally raced to the front driveway and looked both up and down the road. Nothing.<p>

"Shit!" He ran back inside and fumbled for the house phone. He dialed a number he was familiar with, only to be greeted with a dial tone. _Of course, Noodle doesn' 'ave 'er old phone anymore. _He looked around to see a list of emergency numbers purposely posted on the fridge.

* * *

><p>"Excuse me," Noodle wandered away from where 2D and their clients were speaking to answer the hum in her pocket. "Hello?"<p>

"Oh...uh...'ey there!"

She sighed. "What do you want, Murdoc?"

"Wh...wot d'ya mean? I can' jus' say 'ello?"

"No offense, but you're not the 'hey there' sort of person. What do you need?"

She could hear him struggling for an answer on the other end, a slight tension building in her heart. "Right...well, um...jus' answer a hypothetical, 'kay?" She chose not to answer, but he continued anyway. "If the kids were ta disappear...where wewd they go?"

"You lost the kids? !" she cried, drawing the attention of the clients and her suddenly distressed husband. "All you had to do was watch them!"

"Ih's jus' a hypothetical."

"So are they gone? Did you lose them?" she began breathing deeply to control her fear.

"Well..." he paused. "Let's redefine the word 'lose'-"

"Murdoc!" she growled dangerously. "Did-you-lose-the-kids?"

"Um...I still got _yer_ kid."

"Oh my God!" she snapped her phone shut. "Stuart!" but he was way ahead of her, already digging for the car keys and rushing out the front door of the auditorium. "I'm so sorry," she said to the two confused maestros, "but a family emergency has arisen and we must go."

* * *

><p>Murdoc dropped the phone on the counter and raced outside, not even taking into account leaving little Rory by himself. The toddler watched the strange man leave, curious as to why he seemed so flustered. Murdoc descended using the road and went to the front door of the Norsby's house. He violently pounded on the door.<p>

"Oh..." Mister Christofferson looked like he'd swallow bile when he saw who was at his doorstep. "Why 'ello yew snaggle-toothed-"

"Yes, yes, I know yew 'ate me. Quick question, where's yer kid?"

The man put his arm across the doorway when Murdoc tried to peer around his body into the home. "Last I saw, 'e wos on the slope with Stuart's young'uns."

"So they're not 'ere?"

"No, they're not."

"Do yew 'ave any idea where they might've gone?"

Mister Christofferson wrinkled his nose. "Are yew beggin'?"

"Meh 'ead will be delivered ta yer front step if I don' find 'em. Yer son's pro'lly in dangeh too."

That got his attention. The man looked slightly enraged, as though Murdoc were threatening his family. "The kids were awlways free-spirited. Check in town. They're most likely raisin' 'ell at the bakery."

Murdoc tore away back up the hill before Mister Christofferson could say another word. The Satanist leaned against the garage wall in the run. _Noodle's gonna kill me. _A low croak caught his attention as Cortez hopped in front of him. "Where are they?"

The raven hopped out and looked toward the Hills, even pointing his beak forward to insist in that destination. Then he hopped back in the run, tapping his beak against the door. Murdoc opened it for him and the bird wandered over to the empty space that once held the quads. Murdoc never spent any time in the garage, but even he knew of the possessions that were kept in here.

"Damn kids."

* * *

><p>The other side of the room yielded several opportunities to find their way out. The kids all removed their shoes and socks, stuffing the latter in their pockets and choosing to carry the other. The floor was smooth anyhow, yet also very slick. They chose to shuffle their feet instead of actual stepping. They chose the biggest hole in the wall and started off into the unknown.<p>

" 'Ey-'ey-'ey!" Joel yelped as the tunnel they chose descended into a perpetual slope. Since he was in front, he was sent sliding at an uncontrollable speed before slamming into a wall as the tunnel turned. "God damn...Newton's law," his voice was muffled.

"A body in motion, stays in motion," Cyan followed by sliding on her backside. "But ferget Newton's law, t'is is Murphy's law awl te way. Anyfink tha' can go, will go wrong." She helped peel him away and they continued down the corridor of the tunnel to make room for Primrose and Arthur to slide down. The floor was still slick, but the roar of the water feed slowly grew more and more distant.

They began to become anxious as the tunnel seemed to twist and turn, yet had no incline upward. And their spirits were further crushed when the roar of water became steadily louder and they found themselves back in the first room. After some cries of anger and despair, they set out again down a different tunnel. After, once again, coming back to where they started, Cyan marked the tunnels with a score from her knife to keep them from making the same mistake.

"Y'know, I never guessed there were this many tunnels under 'Ollowridge," said Arthur.

" 'Ow do we know ih's only 'Ollowridge?" said Primrose. "We cewd be under the town fer awl we know!"

"Yer such a worrier," Cyan taunted her. "We neveh went down enough ta be undeh te town. 'Sides, t'ere wewd be pipes an' stuff from te buildin's." They were temporarily halted by a stone step-like blockage, but they climbed over it with ease. A small stream of water was running on the other side, which they splashed into when they dropped from the height. Primrose fell, bruising her knees and ripping her pants at the joints. As they continued on, none of them noticed that their scrambling had loosened a rock so that it fell over the hole that the water was emptying into. The water level began to rise.

"This is promisin'," Arthur stepped into a completely new room. This one wasn't smoothed out like the one before. Instead, it had several boulders lying around and an uneven roof. The water here was in little rivulet streams that they stepped around. "People 'ave been 'ere!" he pointed to some rags and hole-riddled blankets.

Cyan picked up one of the blankets. "I 'fink t'ese 'ave been 'ere fo' a long time. Longeh t'en we've been alive." She let it drop, and looked around the room with her phone. "We got plenty ta choose from again," she swept her arm toward the openings. Primrose shrieked as she fell to the floor, a clattering sound following. Cyan began making her way over to help her sister when something sharp dug into her foot. "Ow!" She fell back, her injured foot held high in the air.

"My glasses," Primrose held up the purple frames. One lens was completely gone, most of its pieces now driven into Cyan's foot, the other was cracked. Sighing in despair, she slipped them back on, knowing that they did nothing in helping her see.

"Wait-wait, shh!" said Arthur. Cyan bit her lip to stop moaning in pain to listen. A distant rumbled becoming gradually louder. The children yelped when the water rivulets suddenly burst into full-blown streams. "Flood!"

Cyan hopped toward the nearest opening, the others following as the room began to fill. The natural drains were unable to drain the onslaught of new water.

* * *

><p>"Of all the irresponsible things-!" Noodle couldn't continue. She collapsed in a chair, fearing the lives of her husband's children.<p>

"Relax," said Murdoc. "Cortez saw where they went."

" 'Fank God te demon 'as more sense t'an yew do!" said 2D.

Murdoc swiped at him, but the bluenette dodged with ease. "Don' mess with me, faceache! The day's been stressful."

"And it'll only get more stressful," the sound of Noodle's phone snapping shut alerted the two men. "Russel and Cyborg will be here momentarily to kick your sorry ass. Meanwhile, Stuart and I are going for the kids. You stay here." He grumbled, knowing what awaited him when Russel returned, but stayed put.

The other two, after placing Rory in the safety of his play pen, bolted out the door and toward the Hills, the shadow of Cortez leading the way, as well as an unchained Ferdinand. Usually they used to quads to get to the Hills, so they were unaware of the actual distance. But as they tripped and stumbled in the overgrown grass of nobody's property, they wished that the kids had at least left one quad behind. But the vehicles were the perfect landmark.

" 'Ello down there!" Mister Christofferson called from the entrance up the rock fall. "Murdoc came by earlier ta say meh son's in danger."

"Really?" said Noodle in a sarcastic tone as she and 2D scaled the rock fall. The man had to slide back down to get Ferdinand up to the entrance. On cue, the dog began sniffing around for the children. It took all three adults to stop him from diving headlong into the tunnel. Cortez bounced around at the entrance, croaking in his bird-language. Noodle extended her arm for him to settle on.

As soon as he had roosted, the demon-bird transferred what he could see to her. "The kids are down there. They seem okay, his vision's a little fuzzy."

Mister Christofferson, although new to the way of the demons, nodded his head. "I got plenty o' supplies ta get 'em. Rope ta get down there, torches ta see, various tools, an'," he held up a thin stick, "a switch ta thrash 'em." He gathered the supplies and wandered through the entrance, leaving 2D and Noodle wary on whether he was serious or not.

" 'E doesn' mean ih, does 'e?"

"I...I'm not sure. We certainly won't."

"Oh, o' course! I neveh wont ta lay a 'and on te kids like tha'. But..." he nervously glanced in the direction the older man had disappeared in, "I still... I mean, _we_ neveh spanked _yew, _an' yew turned out fine."

"Hmph," their attention was drawn to the reemerging sight of Mister Christofferson. "The openin's flooded, somethin' must be blockin' the drains."

"Maybe te kids? ! Decayin' body blockin' up drainage!" 2D shuddered.

"Stuart, Joel may be the only one I think capable of that, but even he isn't thick enough to do it," said Noodle. She became thoughtful for a moment, running a series of memories through her head. "In fact, I really don't think he's stupid, just lazy. He slurs his words, but he can string them together quite nicely." She turned her attention away from her thoughts and back to the matter at hand. "So what do we do?"

"I suggest findin' another entrance," said Mister Christofferson. "Let's travel along the 'ill an' try listenin' fer 'em."

* * *

><p>"Wow, this is incredible, jus' great. Flippin' fantastic." Joel slapped his shoes together, raining droplets of water down on his older sister. It didn't matter anyway. Each of them were equally and thoroughly soaked.<p>

Cyan tucked her wet locks behind her ear and surveyed their current situation. They had managed to escape the flooding tunnels, finally stumbling upon a passage that headed up. This place was smaller, more like a corridor. But the roar of the water wasn't far off. They would have to move soon, or risk getting trapped. "Y'know...I still wewd ratheh be 'ere t'an 'ome wiff Misteh Muhdoc babysittin'."

"Maybe we didn' give ih a chance," said Primrose. "Ih cewd've been fun."

Cyan was about to reply, but the sudden ice-cold wet sensation on her foot made her leap up. She slightly grunted in pain when she put weight on her foot, but it was just a cut now, they had removed all the shards. The four children continued on in the tunnel. Their hope was suddenly dashed when it sloped downward.

"Ih can' be this big," Arthur whispered, more to himself. "Ih jus' can' be. We've gone, like...I don' know 'ow far we've been."

"Fer awl we know...we've been doublin' 'round," said Joel. "We cewd be leagues under the surface. We'll turn inta mole people." But his theory was disproved when they tumbled into the next room. Although the tunnel had turned downward, they looked up to see a hole in the ceiling, sunlight streaming through.

"Oh hallelujah, God almighty!" The room here was slightly flooded, but they managed to wade across to the raised center that stretched toward the hole. Cyan cupped her hands around her mouth. " 'Ey! Anybody t'ere? !"

"Think straight," Joel dumped the water out of his shoes. "Nobody's lookin' fer us."

"Y'know, yew awlways criticize meh ideas, yet yew go along any'ow. Where's te justice?" Her voice faded as a low rumble shook the stone beneath their feet. They clambered to the very tip of the raised portion as more water poured down, threatening to turn this place into their grave. "Twenty-three skidoo!" Cyan's hand shot down her shirt and emerged with the Evangelist's charm strung on a cord.

The white robed being was thoroughly surprised to be summoned in waist-deep water. But after a quick scan of her surroundings and her little group, she sprang into action. She scooped up Joel and Primrose and leapt upward to the hole. The two were shoved through and then she dropped down to get the other two. The Evangelist herself was too big to get through the hole, so she vanished as soon as the children were safe.

"I love life!" Joel flopped face-down in the long grass. "Why didn' we summon Vangy in the first place?" (Vangy is a nickname the kids gave the Evangelist. I don't know why...but I wanted to)

Cyan crept close to the hole they had escaped their death from. The continuous roar of the water slowly filling the space worried her greatly. "Where's ih gonna go? Wot did we do?"

" 'Ey!" Arthur's call stirred the siblings enough to join him on a flat rock. They were on top of Hollowridge, nestled in a small alcove created by the slopes of the hill. The alcove itself was shaped like a slight funnel to catch the rain water into the hole. From this vantage point, they had a perfect view of Hollowridge's neighbor, Fallridge. "Tha' feed right there!" he pointed toward where Hollowridge joined up at Fallridge, a little ways from where they were. The river that poured out from there was a slow trickle now. "If we can free ih, then the water will run."

They tossed their shoes down the slope before tumbling after them. It was a dangerously steep incline, so the descent was mostly the kids sliding on their backsides, their bare feet strait out in front of them to slow down their momentum. This water feed seemed to be very special, as this certain river split into three further streams. Cyan, the smallest of the children, stuck her torso through the hole, managing to maintain her balance since the inside was a steep drop.

_Te water feed must come down, _she realized. Without warning the others, she slipped all the way through, landing hard on her back. Turned out, the inside was small pocket right under the hole. _'Ow does t'is work? _She scaled the wall with her good foot, her hands reaching upward opposite to the hole to discover the blocked tunnel, small bits of water leaking through. She shoved her arm upward, successfully dislodging the blockage they had caused.

Almost immediately, a huge burst of water smacked her in the back of the head. She slipped down to the bottom of the pocket. _Oh God, _she realized, _t'is fills up, t'en empties in te water feed. _"Get me out!" she clung to the wall, trying to climb back up to the hole. The walls were slick now and filling up incredibly fast. Suddenly, a pair of hands shot down and grabbed her.

"Yew are in such big trouble!" 2D hauled his daughter out, inadvertently bruising her shoulders. "But I'm so 'appy yer alive!" They cleared out of the river bed as the water began pouring out. "Yer grounded, yer neveh leavin' te property again, yer neveh leavin' te 'ouse-!"

"Ih wos Murdoc's fault," Joel muttered.

Noodle narrowed her eyes. "Oh?" She obviously wasn't buying that excuse. But the same couldn't be said for her husband, who was all for blaming the man and not his children.

However, Cyan got there first. "No, ih wos my fault. I urged 'em ta come 'ere an' didn' tell anyone." Though she had used this face to get out of trouble before, this time she was genuinely sorry for her mistake. "I'm sorry, I wos stupid an' almost got us killed." She then happened to glance over at Mister Christofferson and saw the switch had fallen off his backpack. "Are yew gonna spank us?" she asked in a panicky voice.

The other three started shouting and tried to run off. 2D, Noodle, and Mister Christofferson rounded them together with quick promises that they were not going to be hit. It took a bit, but they finally calmed down when Noodle gave the stick to Ferdinand to chew on.

"Well..." said 2D after everything had settled, "I'm still mad at wot yew did, but yer awl safe. An' in te end, tha's wot mattehs. But I can say t'is...Muhdoc's neveh babysittin' again."

"Dad," Primrose held up her broken frames, "I broke meh glasses."

"Don't worry," Noodle assured her, "we'll get that straitened out. Let's go. I think it's time we went home."

"Right'chu are, love," said 2D.

* * *

><p>Although Cyborg and Russel were overjoyed to welcome the children back home, Murdoc didn't appear out of his Winnebago for three days. To this day, Cyan is still unsure about the extent of the injuries he received. But 2D was true to his word. Murdoc never babysat again.<p>

* * *

><p>the Murphy's Law thing was a quick shout-out to Rockyspringsster's Gorillaz comic 'Murphy's Law' on Deviantart. Check it out, she's an amazing artist.<p>

Fellow Americans, torch=flashlight


	38. Bonus: Sleuthing

Sleuthing

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>"T'is place is ace!" Cyan rapped her knuckles against the fireman's helmet perched on her head. Nate and the twins' father smiled at her, flipping the visor down to cover her face. The Valleyridge fire house was their current area of exploration. What child doesn't love a firehouse? "Ih's jus' a big playground. Ya got ping pong, video games, pool billiards, an' lots o' places ta climb stuff."<p>

"Ih's not awl fun an' games, li'le one. We gotta big job ta do." He lifted the helmet from her head and strode over to place it back in the cubby he'd retrieved it from. As he started back to the counter that Cyan was sitting on, he glanced up to the hole in the ceiling that the fire pole descended from. "Take a spin, love!"

A few moments later, Cyborg slid down the pole. "What is its purpose?"

"Gives us quick access ta downstairs when a fire starts." He glanced around seeing Noodle, Arthur, Cyan, and his own children staring at him expectantly. "An' ih's fun ta slide down. I'm chief an' I admit I've done ih." He quickly intercepted the twins as they fought over the driver's seat in the parked fire engine.

"Well Mister Hatcher, it appears firemen are just kids at heart," said Noodle.

"Isn' ev'ryone?" Mr. Hatcher lifted the girls down. "Wot is ih about kids an' fire trucks? They're jus' so appealin'. Well, we're drivin' this baby ta Cruise Night t'night. S'been awhile since ih's been set up."

"Wot's Cruise Night?" at that moment, Murdoc, 2D, and Russel walked in through the open garage door of the fire station. The question had come from the Satanist.

"Cruise Night is when everyone gathers at the Lot and we just party," Noodle explained.

"What's the Lot?" asked Cyborg.

"Both te location an' eatery!" said Cyan. "Ih wos an empty lot, right, an' t'en t'ese people bought ih an' put up...ih's sorta like... a restaurant I guess, but not awl fancy. Ih's like a concession stand a bit an' t'ere's so much room in te lot tha' people awl drive t'eir cars in an' 'ang out togetheh. Ih's real fun. Buncha guys are awlways bringin' t'eir old cars t'ey spruced up an' flauntin' 'em."

"Ya don' say," said Murdoc thoughtfully. "Ev'ryone does this?"

"Pretty much."

* * *

><p>Cruise Night was a more recent tradition. It had started soon before the Gorillaz family had turned up in Valleyridge. Arthur could recall one point when he was very little about the property. He learned to ride his first bike on it. At some point after that, it was purchased and reformed. But people took to it almost immediately and the tradition of Cruise Night was set.<p>

"Shewd we go?" said Cyan as night began to draw near. Cruise Night didn't happen every night. When a group wanted to get together, they spread the word to meet at the Lot. The word was passed from ear to ear and suddenly the whole town knew and was prepared to gather. "Who knows when te next one will be?"

"I think we should go," said Noodle. "It'll be fun." They unanimously agreed, except Murdoc, who said nothing at all. He didn't look mad or annoyed, just thoughtful. "Should we take something?" The stand only sold small things, but still managed to make a great living by the real reason to go to the Lot. It was like a giant barbecue party. The people of Valleyridge gathered and used the stand for whatever they needed, be it food or cutlery.

When night hit, it was obvious that it was Cruise Night. Cars were zooming down the streets, people shouting and honking horns as greetings. One could look into town and see a firefly light show of car headlights. One could also hear the horns from the next city over. It was like an accomplishment when the people of Valleyridge received a noise complaint from someone in the cityscape. The celebration? Double Cruise Night.

"C'mon Misteh Muhdoc!" Cyan urged him. The Satanist had locked himself up in the bathroom. "We're gonna miss ev'rythin'."

"Go!" he snapped. "I'll catch up."

"Wot'chu 'fink 'e's doin'?" she asked Cyborg, who came to stand beside her.

"Let's go!" Russel called out. "Ev'ryone who's goin', get goin'!" They had never taken Stylo to Cruise Night. At first it was so they wouldn't be recognized, but now they knew the truth that most of the town knew who they were. But Stylo still barely left the driveway nowadays. Russel, Noodle with Rory, 2D, and Cyborg would go down in Mako, the silver car, while Cyan chose to ride her bike with Arthur. Murdoc, it seemed, would fail to show.

Cyan had strapped a torch to the handlebars of her bicycle and led the way, narrowly avoiding being the victim of five hit-and-runs all the way to their location. Everyone was already there, the party in full-swing. Cars lined up along the edges of the lot and when those spots ran out, they huddled in random places, making the area a maze. Maneuvering as a person was hard enough amid the confusion. When the place filled up, the smart ones parked down the road.

There were streetlights to brighten the surroundings. People also brought their own lamps and such. One family even brought a neon sign they set in the back of their truck bed. Lights were surrounding an open strip framed by boards, and for good reason. Some men were playing bocce and they didn't want the balls rolling off.

" 'Ey, look at them," Arthur pointed to some older teenage boys who were gawking over a freshly-polished blue El Camino. The owner was leaned against the hood, looking smug. "Nice car, don'cha think?"

"Ih's okay..." she said smoothly. They both dismounted and rolled their bikes over to the fire truck.

"Hi yew!" one of the twins waved wildly from the front seat.

" 'Ello...which one are yew?"

"Sandy."

" 'Ey Sandy," Cyan leaned her bike against the truck. " 'Ow's te night treatin' ya?" She failed to hear the girl's answer, but was slightly satisfied when she and Arthur both yelped along with her.

"Boo!" the bluenette was swung high into the air, lost physical contact temporarily with whoever had grabbed her, then fell back to Earth and safely into her father's arms. "Did I scare yew?"

"Maybe...or maybe I jus' 'ad a 'eart-attack!" He flinched at her loud voice and set her down. Cyan brushed the wrinkles out of her shirt and breathed deeply to regain her composure. "Sorry Da', yew can do tha' ta yer otheh kids, but not me. T'ere's too big o' risk."

"Right. Sorry love, I fo'got. I'm gonna go spook Noodle now." He disappeared back in the direction he'd come from.

"Tha'...tha' right t'ere...tha's about ten minutes o' meditation," Cyan mumbled to herself. "Meh 'eart is racin'." She turned to Arthur. "Yew even try ta pull tha' stunt an' I'll kill yew."

"I'm well-aware." The both of them set out to score dinner. Russel had a name for this kind of activity. He called it tail-gating, people did it all the time at American football games. The Valleyridge people just passed it out. All one had to do was grab a plate and fork. Scents of all different kinds of food cooking, cooling, or just set out filled the atmosphere.

"Foxtrot Oscar!" Cyan's plate slipped from her fingers as the fast-approaching Stylo slammed on its brakes and halted fast enough that a gust of wind blew her hair.

"Excuse me?" Noodle magically appeared out of the crowd. "Did I just hear what I think I heard?"

"Pro'lly, yer awlways right," Cyan made no effort to conceal what she'd just said.

"You're talking to the girl who spent a good portion of her childhood around Murdoc Niccals, I know a disguised cuss word when I hear one." The woman looked over to the car, whose driving was slamming repeatedly on the horn. "Speak of the devil. Murdoc, watch where you're going! You almost pancaked your god-daughter!"

"Not meh fault!" the Satanist shouted. "Stay outta the road!"

"I'm inna parkin' lot!" Cyan argued back.

"Why'd ya pick ta say 'fuck off' anyway?" he asked.

"If wos ta only 'fing I cewd 'fink of ta say as a car's barrelin' right at me!" She suddenly leapt on top of the car, sitting on the hood and staring at the driver. He quietly rolled up the window and started screaming before continuing on his path, letting the girl ride until he found a spot. After parking, purposely near the El Camino, he got out and swiped her off his hood.

"Yew'll _be _part o' the parkin' lot if yeh jump on meh car again." He looked the hood over and, before she could dash off, grabbed Cyan, hauled her over his shoulder, and used the back of her shirt to wipe of her shoe-prints.

"Lemme go!" she shrieked. "Da'! Noodle! Russel! Cyborg! Someone! Please, 'e's usin' me as a Sham-Wow!"

"Release m'lady!" Arthur stretched as tall as he could, trying to appear fearsome in the shadow of this man that routinely struck fear in his heart.

"Yew gonna make me?" the Satanist growled, but Arthur's actions distracted him long enough that Cyan managed to wriggle out and dash off. Murdoc was hot on their trail, so they two had no choice but to duck into the shack via the back door. Cyan chanced a peek and saw that the man was preoccupied with his own admirers of Stylo.

"C'mon," she started to stand, but Arthur grabbed her shoulder.

"Wait." He reached for the light switch. "Somethin' isn' right." Sight returned them and they saw both saw what he was referring to. The shack, although no true glorious eatery, was kept really clean by its two regular workers. It was usually only in use during a Cruise Night, and since it hadn't been too long since the last one, there was no way it would be this bad.

The shelves that had stood in the back, where they were hiding, had collapsed, all their food and supplies spilled on the floor. Shards of spare light-bulbs were spread across the mess. Plastic forks were stuck into a the ceiling. Paper cups looked as though they'd been stood up, then crushed one by one.

"W...wot is t'is?" Cyan looked around at the mess. "I guess we shewd go 'ome an' get te Roomba." The Roomba was what its title suggested, a Roomba. During the first Christmas with everyone together, she and Noodle had pitched in together to teach Cyborg a lesson of the holiday season. They bought her the Roomba and she took to the diminutive robot like a pet. When a sack of flour had been spilled in the kitchen, they asked to use it, but she hugged the bot to her chest and pleaded them not to. It did clean around the house daily, but other than that, it was in her company.

"This is our death sentence." One of the employees, a young man, peered from underneath the counter at the front of the shack. "Ih were delinquents. When news got 'round tha' a Cruise Night wos in effect, they ransacked the place." He buried his face in his hands. "We're doomed."

"Boss'll 'ave our arses," said his brother, who peeked from inside a cupboard.

"Ih...ih isn' tha' bad," Arthur tried his best to comfort them. "We'll 'elp yeh scavenge wot yew can use." He started picking up some canned food, but the brother in the cupboard reached out and took his arm.

"No point, li'le bro. We're doomed. We'll outta our jobs!"

Cyan looked around, not at the mess, but at the genuine size of the shack. "Yer lives depend on t'is place? Ih's barely in use, 'ow do ya survive?"

"Ya don' understand, li'le sis, our boss owns several restaurants an' we 'elp manage 'em awl. 'E awlways said tha' if anythin' 'appened ta any o' 'em, even this place, 'e'd 'ave our arses. The Lot is down an' we're doomed."

"Is t'ere any 'ope?" Cyan asked.

"If we can pay fer the damages," said Counter-brother. "But tha' man eats up awl o' our money anyway."

_Ih really suck when good people can' cutta break, an' when t'ey do, t'ey keep gettin' screwed oveh. _She took one last look around the area. A voice called her name, somewhere outside the door. "We gotta go," she urged Arthur out. _But we'll be back. I won' let somefink like t'is go._

"There you are," Noodle seemed very relieved. "I thought Murdoc chased you home."

* * *

><p>"Yew really think two thirteen year-olds 'ave enough money ta pay fer the damages?"<p>

"Ih's worth a shot," Cyan's fingertips brushed the bottom of a tin box placed on a high shelf. " 'Elp me." Arthur cupped his hands so she could place her foot inside and lifted her up enough to snag the box before they both crashed down. They waited a few moments, listening to see if any of the adults would come running. "Okay," she opened the box and turned it upside-down, "let's see wot we got."

"Why do this? We barely know 'em."

" 'Cause I can' stand ih when people keep gettin' screwed oveh by someone who particularly enjoys ih. I've been a situation like tha' an' no one 'elped me. So I'm not gonna let t'is slide." She sorted her money, finding a fairly good amount, but definitely not enough to pay the damages, not even when combined with Arthur's money. "I guess t'ey are doomed. Maybe we cewd..._borrow _from Misteh Muhdoc, 'e awlways seems ta 'ave a lot."

"Does 'e work at the shop with yew guys?"

"No, 'e stays 'ere."

"Hmmm. Does 'e ever go ta the shop? Like fer a visit?"

" 'E's been a few times, but if yer 'finkin' 'bout 'im stealing cash, 'fink differently. We make a point o' keepin' an eye on 'im."

"Do yew keep money in the 'ouse?"

"Meh Da' 'as ih undeh lock an' key."

"Then 'ow does 'e 'ave so much money?"

Cyan paused for a moment. How did he have so much? Gorillaz? It seemed to be an endless amount, there was always more. Where did he get it from? There had to be a source and if there was, then maybe it could help them in turn. "Let's pay a visit ta te Winnie." He was immediately wary to the idea, but followed her.

There was a thumping sound as the Satanist dragged himself out of his bed. It wasn't very early, almost noon in fact, but he wasn't a morning person, he was a stay-in-his-bed-all-morning person. Cortez swooped out once the door was open. A rank odor smacked them both in the face. "Wot's up?"

"Where do yew get awl yer money?"

Murdoc choked on his spit. "Wot are yew askin' tha' fer? !"

"I need money."

"Yew get an allowance. My money is my money." He slammed the door shut, the blinds inside rattling loudly. That was all the assurance Cyan needed.

"If 'e won' talk, tha' means ih's illegal."

"We don' wanna break the law," Arthur insisted.

"Well...if ih's too bad, we won' do ih. But we gotta try, right?"

He shrugged then rubbed the back of his head. "I guess... as long as yew promise we'll leave if ih's bad."

"I promise." It appeared that her questioning of Murdoc's finances made him extremely wary of her company. Twice, in only that day, he yelled at her for apparently following him. Cyan chose to realize that his activities were indeed illegal in some way. In such a way, that he didn't want her to know anything. But she would figure it out, she had a knack for it.

As the days passed, she kept a close observation on her godfather. But snooping around wasn't enough and her observations drew too close when he caught her in his Winnebago and quite physically tossed her out. But that action only made her more determined to find the source of his income. Who's to say that she and Arthur couldn't use it even after they helped the brothers?

So the plan came to fruition between the two when Arthur turned up with leads from some workers at the feed store his father went to for the ponies. The two men were meeting someplace outside the town and they had mentioned Murdoc's name. It wasn't the sort of speaking like as a friend, but maybe as an important client, or at least a regular.

As night descended, they prepared for a midnight outing. Cyan leaned over the railing of her balcony, watching any sign of departure from the Winnebago. Once she saw it, she'd get to ground level and run down the slope to where Arthur would be hiding out in the barn with both their bikes. All she needed was a sign.

There it was. Murdoc's head poked out from the door. He instantly looked up, but would not see her as she pressed herself against the wall of her room. He stayed there for a bit longer, listening for any sign of active life. Once he stepped out, Cyan moved along her balcony at his pace. Once he was in Stylo and backed out the driveway, she slipped down the ladder and ran through the run to avoid being seen. He stayed at the top of the slope for a long time and she almost feared she'd been seen.

"Why won' 'e leave?" Arthur asked once he saw her.

" 'E will, 'e's gotta." They both mounted their bikes and rolled to the front of the barn. They almost missed it. He was driving with no headlights. "Like tha' isn' suspicious." It made their task easier. They wouldn't show up in the same darkness he was driving in. Murdoc kept Stylo very slow throughout the town, but as soon as the boundary came up, he shot off with headlights on, leaving the two teens struggling to even keep him in sight.

"I'm...I'm...gonna...break a rib," Arthur panted, straining against his pedals.

"Keep goin'," Cyan urged him, but she was feeling faint herself. What if Murdoc's activity was in a whole different city or town? How far did they have to go? "Lewk!" she pointed as the headlights turned in the distance, then shut off. Other dark rolling shapes were gathered there. A single dot of light was guiding them one by one to a source of bright light still further off. Whatever was going on was big.

They hurried onward, coasting down the road until arriving to the turn-off. Cars, many cars, and they had to weave among them to reach the front. A beam from a torch blinded Cyan and she screeched to a halt.

"Shewd li'le kids really be out 'ere?" asked the man holding the torch.

Arthur cut in before Cyan could respond. "Shewd adults really be out 'ere too?" The man narrowed his eyes but let them pass anyway. This was a dirt road, only formed by the passings of several tires ripping up grass. When they rolled into the light, it was a sight to behold, and not in a good way. An entire track of dirt was framed by barb wire. People were milling about among the cars, but mostly further away, where horses were being unloaded from trailers. People were crowding around to view the animals up close.

"Maybe ih's an auction," Arthur said.

"Misteh Muhdoc wewdn' come ta an auction. T'ere's somefink bad about t'is place," she shuddered, "I can feel ih. Somefink...evil. I'm tellin' yeh Art, bad stuff 'appens 'ere." They weren't supposed to be there. Everything looked shoddy. It could be moved in an instant if necessary. "T'ey're 'orseracin'!" she realized.

"Mister Murdoc must be makin' bets," said Arthur. "Tha's where 'e gets 'is money."

"Runt!" the shout was so sudden that Cyan fell to the ground, her bike landing on top. "Wot the 'ell are yew two doin' 'ere? !" Murdoc had a paper stub in his hand. He'd made a bet.

"Yew shewdn' be 'ere either!" she argued back. "If yew kick us out, we'll tell Da'!"

Murdoc scoffed. "I'm not afraid o' yer dented dad."

"We'll tell Russel an' Noodle."

He growled at her. "Fine, but this place isn' fer yew."

"Ih's 'orse racin'," she picked herself up. "Wot cewd be wrong about ih?" The men taking bets were certainly surprised to see two children at the races, but took the bets anyway. With stubs in their hands, Cyan and Arthur lined up at the barb wire track to watch the race. The horses were lively, tossing their heads about and prancing. There weren't even jockeys, just some men who climbed on. The start of the track was a piece of rope lying on the ground.

"Let's go!" The two horses sprang forward. Cyan saw problems immediately. The track was made completely out of dirt, but the dirt was so thick that she saw the horses stumble several times. And if a horse caught too much momentum, it wouldn't have enough time to stop before reaching the barb wire at the end of the track.

_T'is place is a death trap, _but her thoughts were drowned out by cheers and groans as the race finished.

"We won our bet!" Arthur cheered.

She couldn't join him in that elation. She started walking toward the trailers and other horses, leaving it up to him whether or not to follow. He did, of course. The other horses looked all like the first ones did, prancing about, ready to go. She spied scars from barb wire o nthe chest of one, some had them on the legs, one even had it on the face. "I can' believe t'is place exists."

"I warned ya," Murdoc stepped up to her. "Ih's not fer the faint o' 'eart."

"They're jus' racin' right?" said Arthur. "As long as no one get's 'urt, ih's okay?" He turned his head to the cheers as the next race started. "We didn' place our bet." Suddenly, a loud holler erupted from the crowd. Murdoc straitened all the way up to see what had happened.

"Cyan, go 'ome-now!"

"Wot's wrong?" she asked, turning around to see.

"Leave!" he swiped at her, but she ran off into the crowd, pushing until she could see the action. A horse had fallen on the track. The rider was up and swearing loudly. He seemed fine, but the horse's leg was broken. Another man walked onto the track, holding something long in his hands. She didn't get a good look because Murdoc had yanked her out of the crowd. "No time. Runt, yew cover yer ears. Cover 'em an' don' stop till I tell yeh. Yew too," he said to Arthur.

"Wot's goin' on?" she felt fear rising up in her chest. "Wot are t'ey doin'?"

"Cover yer ears!" They both did. Hands pressed firmly on each side of their heads, they could hear their own heart beats loudly. The sounds of the crowd became a dull roar, until a loud sound split the air. A gunshot.

"Misteh Muhdoc?" Cyan whispered, looking up at him. He shook his head and kept watching the track. He finally gave the signal and she dashed off into the crowd once more. The horse was gone, but the spray of blood and the imprint of something heavy being dragged through the dirt was evident.

"Why...why did they do tha'?" said Arthur.

"Told yeh," said the Satanist. "A broken 'orse is a useless 'orse. Now the both o' yeh, go 'ome now."

"Mister Murdoc," the male teen tried to keep a steady voice, but, like Cyan, he was slowly becoming overwhelmed," 'ave they done this b'fore?"

"Yes..."

Cyan began shaking. These people, they forced the horses to run on a faulty track, then shot them dead if anything happened to them. There was no love, not like the Norsbys and their Welsh Mountain ponies. There was just profit and if a horse couldn't rake in that profit, then it was done away with.

"Go 'ome, yew two. Yew don' belong 'ere."

"Neither do yew," Cyan whispered.

"Believe ih or not, kid, these are meh people. Yeh can' quit cold turkey. I'm stayin' an' if I catch yew two 'ere again, I'll be sure yew regret ih."

They had no choice. There was no way they were sticking around to see another murder. Arthur's first excitement of gambling was smothered down forever. They both picked up their bikes and started a sluggish return to home. Neither of them spoke to one another, and as the sign to Valleyridge approached both heard the other sobbing loudly. Cyan tried to convince herself she was above this now, but she couldn't bring herself to. A horse had been shot in the head for the mistakes its owner made.

* * *

><p>"Ya feelin' okay?" Russel pressed his hand against the despondent Cyan's forehead. She had failed to sleep after seeing the living nightmare, and the dark circles combined with flushed cheeks and a reddened nose from crying made her out to be one sick puppy.<p>

"M'fine," she mumbled. Despite her words, she pushed her plate of pancakes away and laid her head on the table.

"Love?" 2D approached her. "Yer not well. Stay 'ome from school, 'kay?"

"I'm fine!" she snapped. She then rose from her spot at the table and retreated back to her room, leaving her family in the wake of her departure.

"Maybe she finally hit puberty," Noodle said nonchalantly, "that sure seems like PMS."

"Negatory," said Cyborg. "Cyan has not matured in such a way as of yet. Her reasons for acting out cannot be confirmed."

"Hmm," Noodle lifted her feet as the Roomba passed by. "Maybe it's stress."

As her family tried to decipher her condition, Cyan was doing her best to do the same thing. She felt terrible. Even more than when she'd shattered a window on the Winnebago after the rubber band on her slingshot broke. Her head hurt, her eyes stung, she felt sick to her stomach. But she couldn't stay home from school, then she would have to interact with Murdoc, who, to her best knowledge, stuck around the house during the day unless he was at the Cloverleaf.

Changing for school took a couple tries, but she managed to throw an outfit together. She didn't go back inside and chose to use her outside ladder. She rolled down the slope on her bike. Arthur was slumped in the grass beside his driveway. His jacket was inside out and he looked just as bad as she did. He only nodded before hopping on his own bike.

* * *

><p>"Morning," Noodle mumbled as she sipped her tea. Murdoc grumbled as he dragged himself to the fridge. "It's a little early for you, don't you think? It's eleven."<p>

"I wake up whenever I feel damn ready ta!" he snapped. "I wos doin' stuff las' night."

Noodle narrowed her eyes at the cuss word, glancing toward Rory playing with blocks on the floor, but he didn't seem fazed. "I wonder if there's a bug going around. Cyan looked really sick this morning and Mister Christofferson was up here a bit earlier saying Art was so sluggish he had to use an air horn to get him up. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Jus'...leave me alone fer a while," he went back outside without grabbing anything from the kitchen. Noodle watched him, turning her head to Cyborg after he was gone. She shook her head. So maybe he was up all night and not actually sick.

* * *

><p>The day had taken forever, moving inch by inch until the two teens could barely stand it. Now as they pedaled home, they didn't feel any better about the day being over. Cyan stumbled on her pedals several times, scratching her legs and once bumping her chin on the handlebars. As they turned toward the slope of their street, a figure was waiting for them.<p>

"Awlright," Murdoc shoved a plastic bag into her hands. "Yew followed me 'cause yew wonted money, there's awl the cash I made las' night, take ih an' never go back ta the races." It was a substantial amount. Enough to easily pay for the damages to the shack. "Yew gotta promise on tha' stack o' cash, tha' yew won' go back."

"Only if yew promise yew won' do ih anymore."

"Yew know I can' stop, been doin' ih fer too long. But yew two are still too young ta get the 'igh from ih, I saw Art almost did. Stay away from the races." He turned and ascended the slope back to the house.

Cyan watched him intensely before turning her bike completely around and riding off toward the Lot. The brothers were there, doing their best to clean up the mess. They answered the back door when she knocked. She thrust the bag into the brother's hand who answered, then leapt onto her bike and sped off before they could object.

She'd done it, she did what she'd set out to do, but it brought her no joy. That sight still haunted her. A poor innocent creature was harmed because of someone else's mistakes and then paid for it with their life. And she bet that the owner had no remorse at all. _Misteh Muhdoc said ta stay away...but when 'ave I eveh completely listened ta an adult? One tha' wosn' meh da'...or Noodle...or Russel...sometimes Cyborg. _She was getting off topic. The fact was, just because Murdoc said not to, didn't mean she'd obey him. She was going back and she was going to do something about those races.

* * *

><p>On a whim, Cyan realized that the races must take a lot of time and planning to get set-up. When they were set up, they'd run for a few days, then break down. She didn't know how long they'd stay up, but there was a good chance at least two days. If last night was the first, then tonight would be another running day. She was going back tonight.<p>

She was right. Murdoc left in Stylo right before midnight, but this time, she didn't follow him directly. Let him think she was doing what he said. She watched the headlights fade away before returning into her room. She slipped a sweatshirt over her pajamas and searched around for her phone before realizing she had left it in the kitchen.

She growled lightly, not wanting to risk going into the house. But unless she had Arthur tag along with his phone, she had no choice. Each step and creak in the door magnified enough that she was terrified of the whole family waking up. She crept across the floor and snatched her phone off the counter.

"Cy?"

Cyan covered her mouth to stifle the gasp and spun around to face Rory, who was hugging the banister of the stairs and carrying the very teddy bear that their father had gifted to her years ago. He rubbed his eye and focused on her. Cyan let out a low exhale. "Go ta bed."

"Cy? Cy...Cy awake. Cy-is-awake," he sounded out.

"Yes-yes, I'm awake, but yew shewdn' be. Go ta bed now!" she whispered fiercely.

He looked her up and down, noticing the sweatshirt and shoes. Despite his age, even he knew that people didn't wear those to bed, they wore those things going outside. People were supposed to be in bed at night. "Bad!" he hissed. "Bad!" Whenever he had been caught out of his crib at night, whoever had found him always said the act was a bad thing. But he had a bed now and was toilet-trained, so he was allowed up to go to the bathroom. He must have somehow heard her and came down to investigate.

"I'm oldeh an' allowed ta be outta bed, yer not. Go ta sleep."

"Bad!" he said a bit louder.

Cyan bit her lip, knowing he would go louder and louder until his wails woke the town, or worse, Cyborg and her armory. "I'm goin' ta bed, I promise. I jus' got somefink ta do real quick. T'en I'll go ta sleep. Ya 'ear?"

He stopped and looked at her. "Go? Sleepy?"

"Yes, now yew go upstairs," she walked toward and manually turned him around. "Go now, I'll be back." She waited until he was to the top before dashing out the front door. She almost screamed when she realized her bike had been put into the garage. Cyborg 'slept' in there and there was no way she could get it out now. She had to walk, so she started.

Rory sat at the top of the staircase. Sweatshirts and shoes were worn outside and that was where his older sister went. Only the biggest grown-ups were allowed outside at night, little grown-ups like her couldn't. She was breaking the rules. His little face twisted in his over-exaggerated rage. He stomped over to his parents' bedroom and pushed the door open. He knew the difference between his father's snores and his mother's heavy breathing. He directed himself to Noodle's side and climbed up.

"Cyan!" Arthur dashed out of the shadows and knocked her over.

"Lemme go! Yew can' stop me!" she fought him away.

"I'm not lettin' yew go alone. Yew saw wot they did, yer in danger." He grasped her wrists tightly. "At least lemme go with yew."

"Fine, but we need ta walk. I don' wanna take yer 'orses t'ere." And so they set out together. On foot, the journey was noticeably longer and more trying. They were gasping even before the welcoming sign to Valleyridge passed. But they pressed onward without complaint to each other or to the heavens. They had a mission to complete, those races had to stop.

Cyan could feel her feet swelling inside her shoes. She unlaced them and walked on the cool pavement barefoot, enjoying the sensation. As the make-shift turn-off came up, she continued walking through the grass, feeling the dirt and soft grass blades. It felt nice and she almost forgot why she was out here in the first place.

Then she heard the gunshot.

A panic attack almost seized her with enough force to make her gasp. Her heart rate leapt then settled once more. If she wasn't careful, she would die here as well. Those placing bets took little notice of them as they weaved among the crowds. They didn't expect them to. For all those people cared, the two teens were just statues.

Cyan's scream was muffled by a hand as the owner lifted her into the air. "Wot did I say about comin' 'ere? !" Murdoc snapped.

The girl dug her heel into his stomach and forced him to let her go. "I came ta end t'is. Yew know ih's wrong-"

"So is 'alf the stuff I do b'fore breakfast. I'm not sayin' any o' this is right, but yew'll be in a lot o' danger if yew do this."

"I don' care!" she fished her phone out of her pocket. "Awl o' t'is 'as gotta stop. Don'chu care at awl?"

"Yer barkin' up the wrong tree."

"Well yew shewd," Arthur mumbled.

The Satanist bore down on him, causing the poor boy to flinch away. "Yeh wanna repeat tha'?"

"If Cy's in danger fer cawlin' this whole operation, then yew shewd care. Yew shewd care about ev'rythin' she does. Yer 'er godfather! Yer supposed ta protect 'er."

Cyan grabbed him by the shoulder. "Guilt trip won' work, believe me." With her body turned away from Murdoc she hastily dialed on her cell phone. The Satanist whisked her around as she put it to her ear, but it was too late. "Illegal 'orse races, brutal animal cruelty." She dashed off with him and Arthur in hot pursuit. As long as the phone stayed on, she would be tracked and she could direct the police. This was ending now.

By the time she was finally captured, the distant wails of sirens alerted everyone that this party was officially crashed. People were in such a hurry that owners were releasing the horses and leaving the trailers behind. Frightened animals rushed off into the night, not knowing they had escaped their death. Cars smashed into one another, horns honked, people shouted, and through it all, Murdoc grabbed both Arthur and Cyan by their shirt collars and dragged them to Stylo.

They both got in without a word. He directed the car toward the dirt track and rounded the small slope that had blocked the activities from view. He left a trail in the grass until reaching the road. No one could connect them to these events. They were never there.

" 'Fank yew," Cyan whispered.

"Now I gotta find somethin' else ta do tha's fun!" Murdoc growled.

"Detective Connell-Pot," Arthur murmured, " yew did everythin' right. Yew followed a lead, investigated under cover, an' chose the action based on yer discoveries."

"I don' wanna be a detective," Cyan said back. "I cewdn' 'andle ih."

* * *

><p>"Wow." The family had a small television in the kitchen with strict rules abiding its usage. Never during dinner...that was basically it. So at breakfast the next morning, the news revealed of a major bust near Valleyridge. Horse racing, betting, animal cruelty, mutilation, illegal disposal of the bodies, the list went on. The horses rescued would be rehabilitated then hopefully re-homed. 2D sipped his mug, shaking his head. "So close ta 'ome. Ih's 'orrible."<p>

"Real bad," Cyan agreed. She looked just as bad as yesterday, but there was a certain aura about her now. She was elated, but contained it very carefully. She could watch the news coverage with the knowledge that it had all been stopped by her and find solace with those mug shots of the ones that were arrested. "But ih's awl oveh." She rose from the table and stumbled off toward her room. As she started up the small staircase, a hand rested on her shoulder.

"Rory tattled that you were out of bed last night," Noodle spoke in a very soft voice. "From the change in your inner spirit, I see you were overjoyed by the bust. And since the police say the races had been only up for two days, the same days that your sleep has been deprived, I can make a connection. I can deduce that you had nothing to do with the races, the first night, but indeed maybe something to do with their break-down, last night. If so, I could never be prouder."

Cyan lightly bobbed her head. "An' Art said _I_ shewd be a detective. Please don' tell Da'."

"I won't."

"An' t'is won' be a regular 'fing."

"May I ask one thing? Was Murdoc in any way involved in this?"

"B'fhéidir, nach b'fhéidir." (Translation: 'Maybe, maybe not.')

Noodle hummed lightly and let go of the girl's shoulder. "Go to bed, you're too sick for school."

* * *

><p>wow this chapter REALLY got off from its original topic, but I think it turned out fine anyway<p> 


	39. Bonus: Blues in the Big Apple

Blues in the Big Apple

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>Cyan and Joel both made their point when they retreated upstairs, but now it seemed they were going over the top as they purposely covered their ears while watching television. They'd glance at one another now and again and it was through that look that they both transmitted their thoughts about this situation. It couldn't last much longer. Despite wanting to feel supportive of their sister's activity, it didn't help that she kept striking sours.<p>

Primrose suddenly shrieked and the two barreled down the stairs to find her in the kitchen, still sitting tall in a chair with her music sheet in front of her, but the music had halted. A single string from her violin hung in curls. "I broke meh violin," she whimpered.

"Stupid instr-oo-ment anyway," Joel muttered. "Russel's teachin' me drums, join in."

Summer vacation brought the siblings all together as school ended and their first two week visitation began. June was coming to a close and soon July would whisk summer into its prime and they would make the best of it. Primrose had promised her parents to keep practicing, but even she was beginning to see that no matter what she did, she couldn't find a grip of the instrument.

"Yew jus' need some inspiration," said Cyan.

"An' we jus' need some ear-plugs," Joel muttered, earning an arm to the stomach from his older sister. "Is ih wrong ta speak the truth?" He grumbled and wandered to a cabinet to scavenge for a snack. That was one thing he and Rory both shared, a never-ending appetite. On cue, the two-year old burst into the kitchen to beg for his share.

"T'is isn' wot I expected our summer togetheh bein' like," said Cyan. "I 'fought we'd be ev'rywhere. But so far, we're jus' 'angin' 'round doin' nuffink. We need some excitement."

"We're not goin' back ta 'Ollowridge," Joel stated firmly.

"No, we've done tha' awlready. I'm talkin' 'bout vacation. Yer supposed ta go awl out on summer break. So wot are we doin'?"

"Meh mum an' dad 'ave a big campin' trip planned with the rest o' meh family," said Primrose. "They said I cewd bring Minnie with me."

"But I wont us ta do somefink togetheh, _us, _t'is family. Da's so paranoid about takin' us awl outta Valleyridge an' Ridgeshire, 'e's 'finks ta paparazzi's gonna get us."

"But isn' tha' 'ow yer mum died?"

Cyan flinched, but nodded. "Yeah, tha's 'ow she died. T'ose savages recognized me." She sank down into a chair, suddenly too weak to support herself. "Ya wanna know wot's weird? Da' said 'e paid child support fer only five kids. I 'fink meh mum tried ta 'ide me from te rest o' te world."

"Yep," Joel said through a mouthful of crumbs. "Meh mum cewdn' even prove I wos the bastard o' Dad, so she got squat. Well...now she gets money 'cause Dad admitted ih." He shoved another handful of crackers into his mouth. " 'E don' pay fer yew," he said to Primrose, spraying crumbs on Rory. "Not sure 'ow the system works. Even if we do go on vacation, Dad's gotta get per-mish-on from our families so we can go."

Russel walked through the front door, drawing the children's attention away from each other. Joel's hand drooped enough that Rory snagged the box he was holding. Feeling triumphant, the toddler settled on the floor and began munching on his prize. "Hey kids."

" 'Ello Russel," they all replied.

The man dropped a small stack of letters on the table and moved around to the fridge. Cyan clambered onto the table to look the letters over. She liked to go through the mail. She didn't know why, there was never anything for her. And one time she accidently touched one of Murdoc's 'special' magazines and screamed loud enough that 2D thought she was being murdered. "Wot's t'is?" she held up a personal letter.

"That's from my mom."

"Yer mum?" now Primrose and Joel were crowded near to look at the letter. "Why've we never 'eard o' this?"

"She lives in America."

"Well lad an' lass," Cyan flicked the edge of the letter, "we wonted a trip, lewks like we've got one."

"Hold up," Russel snatched the envelope away, "what'chu talkin' about?"

"We wos jus' discussin' 'bout 'ow we don' ever do anyfink when Rosie an' Jo are 'ere, so we wont a trip," Cyan explained. "Now we've got one. Goin' ta America ta see yer mum."

"We're not goin' to America."

"So if I open up tha' letteh, ih won' be a message o' yer mum beggin' ya ta visit?" she swiped at the paper and tumbled off the table. "Why, she pro'lly don' even know wot 'appened ta yew," she said from the floor. "Yer jus' gonna keep 'er in te dark?"

"I send her regular letters."

"But don'chu 'fink ih'd be nice ta surprise 'er?"

"We're not jumpin' on a plane an' flyin' to America, go somewhere else."

With a 'hmph', Cyan dusted herself off and led her brother and sister outside. "We gotta try 'ardeh. Othehwise we'll neveh get some fun in 'round 'ere."

" 'Ave yew ever been ta America?" asked Primrose.

"Once, an' let's jus' say ih's not a pretty memory. C'mon, let's go botheh Da'." Cyan had pegs on the back wheel of her bike, so Primrose stood on those and clung to her sister. Joel had a collapsible scooter that he carted back and forth between his house and Valleyridge. With Ferdinand, trotting behind them, the siblings rode into town to seek out their father. The plan wasn't necessarily all together in their minds. But Cyan was determined to talk about their new-found subject. They needed to get out of Valleyridge.

"Wassup?" Cyan stepped through the door of the music shop. They had customers currently being taken care of by Cyborg at the front desk. Noodle leaned out the workroom door to see who was in. "Where's Da'?"

"I don't know."

"Ya can' keep track o' yer 'usband?"

"You can't keep track of your shoes," the woman countered.

"Ohh burn!" Joel laughed.

"Why don't you try next door?" Noodle suggested. "When you find him, let me know." She glanced over as Ferdinand happily flopped down in his bed behind the counter.

The bakery was certainly alive. Primrose accidentally smacked someone with the door when she opened it. After rapid repeatings of an apology, the siblings ducked under arms and legs until they sheltered back in the kitchen. It was certainly stressful in the bakery. Windows were thrown open to air out the kitchen from the heat of the ovens. Even so, a bead of sweat trickled down Cyan's face.

"We don' need yew lot in 'ere!" Sunshine snapped. "We're busy as ih is. We don' need no accidents."

"Yeah-yeah," said Cyan, "yew seen meh da'?"

" 'E wos 'ere, now I don' know. Lewk, please clear out," she heaved a sheet of cookies onto the island table. With her back turned to them, the children began an investigation around the kitchen. Delicious aromas clogged their other senses and almost knocked them over. This place was indeed a wondrous haven.

"This is meh 'appy place," Joel mumbled. They all leaned over to sniff at some cinnamon buns when something struck Cyan in the shoulder. She jerked upward and looked down at the floor. A piece of cake, or some kind of treat along those lines. She looked over to Theo and Lila, who were across the kitchen, and kept throwing glances at her over their shoulders. Sunshine had returned to the front, not noticing the deed.

Deciding not to let this bother her, Cyan went back to sniffing until another piece hit her in the head. " 'Ey now!" she picked it up and hurled it back, striking Theo in the neck.

" 'Ey! I didn' do ih!" but he was grinning widely. "She started ih!" he pointed to Lila.

"A likely story," Cyan narrowed her eyes. She felt Primrose shelter behind her body.

"Yew cawlin' me a liar?"

"Don' know wot else ta cawl yew."

"We won' take tha' sittin' down!" Lila grabbed some spare pieces of cookie dough and threw them across. The siblings all started yelling and charged, chasing the two workers around the large table.

Cyan's eyes glanced at a tray of half-frosted cupcakes. _Tha' cewd work. _Grabbing the one with the most frosting, she lifted it, pulled her arm back, and chucked it across the kitchen at their aggravators. "Unidentified flyin' cupcake!" The treat sailed through the air, through the inner window, and smacked Cyril in the back of the head.

" 'Ey!"

The siblings all squeaked in unison. Even Theo and Lila looked horrified. All noises in the front stopped as everyone waited to see what would become of this. The man turned slowly around to face them. The siblings clung to one another. This was not going to end well. They weren't afraid of Cyril, no, he could take a joke, their fear lay in Sunshine.

"Stuart Pot!" the woman shouted. There was a clattering sound and suddenly their father, who is appeared had been in the bakery the whole time, popped up next to the front counter. "Take yer offspring an' go."

* * *

><p>"Well, now tha' we 'ave yer attention-"<p>

"Save ih!" 2D snapped.

Cyan bit her lip in shock. Rarely was 2D mad and even more rarely was it at her. She didn't usually step out of line (to his knowledge) but when she did, it wasn't all that bad. Just a kitchen fire here, the flick knife in the door there, and he took them in stride. But now he was mad, furious it seemed. "I-"

"Wot did I say? !" The man had Joel's scooter slung over one shoulder and Cyan's bike in a firm grip. After speaking with Noodle of the incident, 2D started the walk of shame for his older children. And for shame it was. Despite being near the house and out of the main public's eye, the three could still feel the guilt coursing through them. Cyan especially, since she was the only one who retaliated.

2D flung the scooter and bike into the garage. He kept his back turned on his children and pointed toward the main house. After some quiet scuffling and shoving, the three darted into the house and tore around for a place to hide. Russel watched in slight humor and confusion as Joel went into the sink cupboard, Primrose to the inside of the dryer in the wash room, and Cyan scaled to the top of the refrigerator.

" 'Ello Russ," 2D walked in, pinching the skin between his eyes.

"Judgin' by the way the three roaches scurried into the shadows, somethin' went wrong?"

"T'ey started a food fight at te bakery."

_Started? _Cyan couldn't help but growl lightly.

"I don' know wot ta do 'bout t'is. Jo an' Rose are only 'ere fer a short time, I don' wont 'em ta spend ih grounded. T'ey'll be back wiff t'eir otheh parents inna week, we need ta do somefink oveh te top."

"Well," Russel glanced up at Cyan, who silently pleaded for him to look away, "they were talkin' 'bout takin' a trip o' some kind. They're feelin' cramped."

"A trip, yes. Tha' wewd be nice. Jus' a chance ta get outta te 'ouse. Yew 'ave anyfink in mind?"

"America!" Cyan exclaimed. "Russ gotta letteh from 'is mum an' wonts 'im ta visit!" After her shout, she clamped her hands over her mouth.

2D looked up at her, splayed out on top of the fridge. "Really? Wot'chu doin' up t'ere?"

" 'Idin', but 'e did! An' 'e won' let us go!" She slipped down to the counter, her hiding place blown. Might as well face the music. It wasn't like he'd actually hit her. "Ih'd be fun. Jus'...jus' ta go someplace diff'rent. 'Fings 'ave slowed down 'round 'ere."

Her father grew thoughtful at the idea. All of them jumping on a plane and going to New York would certainly be hectic, but they always seemed to manage. Why not give it a try? It would certainly be memorable. Joel opened the doorway of his hiding place, bumping the back of Russel's chair. Primrose peered out from the wash room, cautious as to whether the situation was approachable. 2D looked at each of his children.

To their confusion, he didn't speak, but instead grabbed his cell phone. " 'Ello? T'is Noodle or Cyborg?" he asked after the other end picked up. There was a pause. "Well love, I got some big news. We're goin' ta New York!"

* * *

><p>Two days later, the pseudo-family awoke at what Murdoc liked to call 'the ass-crack of dawn' to set off on another adventure. The sun wasn't even peaking over the horizon yet. Dingy gray darkness surrounded the house, fading off as lights were turned on. The home came alive as voices called wake-up and other voices groaned in response.<p>

Cyborg set her carry-on bag with the others on the couch, a sleeping Rory balanced on her shoulder. He'd woken up like everyone else and she helped him dress while Noodle dragged Murdoc from the Winnebago, but he'd fallen asleep once more on the trip down the stairs. His siblings appeared from the small stairway leading to Cyan's room, where they all slept, even Joel. Tousled hair, eyes rubbing the sleepiness away, still clad in their pajamas, the siblings stumbled into the kitchen.

Joel stuck his face under the running faucet. Primrose dropped her head on the table. Cyan collapsed on her way to the fridge. At this rate, nothing was going to get done. Aware of their schedule, Cyborg laid Rory on the couch and went to aid the others. She arrived just in time to pull Joel from the stream of water slowly filling the sink. He coughed and spluttered upon reemerging.

"It's amazing we ever get anything done," Noodle abandoned Murdoc at the front door. "I still don't think this trip is a good idea. We're just too chaotic, New York is gonna tear us apart."

"Maybe it will go off with...without a hitch. Put some trust in your family, maybe things will go okay?" Cyborg tried to reason.

Noodle tripped over Cyan. "C'mon, we have a schedule to keep," she lifted the girl up to the table. Cyan stayed stable for a moment before crashing down. "All of this is going to end badly." Noodle glanced at the clock on the oven and went upstairs to check if 2D was done showering.

"Do yew know wot jus' 'appened ta me?" Joel sat down at the table, rubbing a dish cloth against his damp hair.

"No," came Cyan's muffled reply.

"Why are we up this early again?

"New York."

"Oh yeah...not gettin' ih!" The reason for this outburst became apparent when Arthur, still in his own pajamas, knocked on the sliding glass door. Cyan released a lengthy lungful of air before staggering to her feet and making her way among the bags to open the door.

"Welcome ta te party," she said half-heartedly.

"Wotever," the boy stumbled inside, still half-asleep. "I'm 'ere fer yer dog. 'Urry up, I can' stay standin' fer long." Since they would most likely be staying in a hotel, the family didn't want to take Ferdinand along. The Norsbys agreed to take him for the vacation period. "C'mon pooch," the bull-mastiff happily trotted over to Arthur. With a quick latch of the leash to his collar, the dog and boy were off back down the hill.

"Was that Art?" Russel came up from the basement.

"Yep," Cyan replied, then she slunk back to the table.

"C'mon guys, you can sleep on the plane, but we gotta go!"

Cyan groaned as loud as she could and stumbled to the toaster. She placed her slice of bread in and pulled the lever. The bread went down, but there wasn't the glow and it wasn't cooking. " 'Ey, somefink's up."

"What's wrong?" Cyborg walked around to table to see the problem.

"Ih ain' cookin'." The girl stuck her face over the toaster. No heat. A loud snap from the electrical outlet frightened her enough that she leapt upward slamming the back of her head into the cabinet. Moaning in pain, she turned her attention back to the toaster, which was now burning red. The scent of burnt toast filled the kitchen.

"Turn ih off!" Joel covered his nose with the neck of his t-shirt.

"I got ih!" Cyan pulled on the small lever. It refused to budge and smoke began to rise. She yanked hard, sending the freed toast up and pinching the skin of her finger.

"What do you think?" said Cyborg, glancing at the burnt breakfast.

"Wot do I 'fink?" the girl gripped her hurt finger. "I 'fink ih bit me, is wot I 'fink!"

* * *

><p>"Dark clouds on te 'orizon, cap'n." Cyan was only allowed on top of Stylo because she was light and posed little a threat to caving in the roof. "Ih don' lewk good."<p>

"We jus' gotta beat te clock," 2D swung her down and finished loading the bags in the trunk. But his daughter's comment did worry him. The sky was just starting to brighten, but black clouds poised a great danger to their journey by flight. He did make a good point. They had to beat the storm.

It was 2D driving Stylo with Murdoc, Joel, Primrose, and Cyan as his passengers. Noodle had the Mako with Russel, Cyborg, and Rory, and technically Cortez, but he went into a hibernating sleep and stowed away in a bag. It was a little cramped, but the hope was to arrive before anyone's head got ripped off from madness. As the two cars pulled out from the driveway and started down the slope, a single raindrop fell to the ground.

"Lewk wot I got!" Cyan pulled a large book out of her carry-on bag.

"The complete works o' Edgar Allan Poe," Primrose read the title. She shuddered, "I don' like 'im, 'e's scary."

"Ih's not awl scary!" Cyan opened the book in her lap and turned a few pages.

"Ih wos many an' many a year ago,  
>In a kingdom by te sea,<br>Tha' a maiden t'ere lived whom yew may know  
>By te name o' Annabel Lee;<br>An' t'is maiden she lived wiff no otheh 'fought  
>T'an ta love an' be loved by me."<p>

2D bit his lip as raindrops began to show up in his vision. Bad. He accelerated sharply, spooking Murdoc out of his light sleep. Hearing the poem in the backseat, the Satanist turned around. "Poe huh? Wot'chu readin' tha' stupid poem fer? Read one o' the good ones!"

Cyan stuck her tongue out at him and raised her voice.

"I wos a child an' she wos a child,  
>In t'is kingdom by te sea;<br>But we loved wiff a love tha' wos more t'an love-  
>I an' meh Annabel Lee;<br>Wiff a love tha' te winged seraphs o' heaven  
>Coveted 'er an' me."<p>

The dark clouds sped up to catch them like in the Stylo video. That actually freaked 2D out a bit. His passengers continued to argue with words and poem stanzas, failing to hear a faint rumble. Or if they did hear it, would have passed it off as someone's stomach. But he knew what it really was and he was dreading it. He wanted this trip and he would be damned if a little storm was going to get in the way!

Little was an understatement. As the fifth stanza rolled around, the heavens unleashed their fury, sending a cascade of hail pounding onto the car. Amazingly, the others still didn't notice the outside. 2D sighed sadly, his shoulders and head slouching. The split second he looked back up saved them. He slammed on the brakes to avoid rear-ending another car, sending his passengers forward. Murdoc, who had been turned around, took the full blow on the dashboard with his spine.

"Oh," one of the children whimpered as the outside was finally noticed. The aura turned dingy inside the car as the thunder outside mocked them. Stylo rolled along slowly toward their destination. 2D kept his other foot above the brake, wondering if he should stop the car and turn around altogether. But still, they trudged onward.

"Fer te moon neveh beams wiffout bringin' me dreams  
>O' te beautiful Annabel Lee;<br>An' te stars neveh rise but I feel te bright eyes  
>O' te beautiful Annabel Lee;<br>An' so, awl te night-tide, I lie down by te side  
>O' meh darlin'- meh darlin'- meh life an' meh bride,<br>In te sepulchre t'ere by te sea,  
>In 'er tomb by te soundin' sea."<p>

* * *

><p>"I knew this wouldn't go well," Noodle glanced back up to the screen, double-checking that she hadn't read it wrong. It was still there. Their flight was delayed. Now they had nine sopping wet people standing in the airport. It was dry in here, but that did little to lift their spirits. There was nothing else to be done. "Murphy's Law is the curse of this family."<p>

All their luggage was piled on a trolley that was parked next to the chairs they'd claimed. Several of the chairs were claimed, hundreds of people sprawling about to wait out the storm. The screen flickered repeatedly as flight after flight was delayed. Groans rose from the throats of the people surrounding them.

"Well, t'is is a jolly time," Cyan was sitting on the trolley, right on top of Russel's suitcase. "Let's sing a song," she said sarcastically.

"Ih's not lettin' up," Joel wandered back from looking out the giant floor-to-ceiling windows. "We cewd be stuck 'ere fer 'ours!"

"So much fer a family trip," Primrose sighed.

Murdoc growled and rolled his eyes. "Runt, ya still got tha' book?"

"Right 'ere," Cyan patted her carry-on.

"Whip ih out an' keep us entertained."

"Really? 'Cause yew almost broke yer spine arguing wiff me in te car about ih." She slipped the book out and opened it once more, pawing through the pages until she found something relatable.

"From child'ood's 'our I 'ave not been  
>As othehs were; I 'ave not seen<br>As othehs saw; I cewd not bring  
>Meh passions from a common spring.<br>From te same source I 'ave not taken  
>Meh sorrow; I cewd not awaken<br>Meh 'eart ta joy at te same tone;  
>An' awl I loved, I loved alone.<br>T'en- in meh child'ood, in te dawn  
>O' a most stormy life- wos drawn<br>From ev'ry depth o' good an' ill  
>Te mystery which binds me still:<br>From te torrent, or te fountain,  
>From te red cliff o' te mountain,<br>From te sun tha' round me rolled  
>In ihs autumn tint of gold,<br>From te lightnin' in te sky  
>As ih passed me flyin' by,<br>From te thundeh an' te storm,  
>An' te cloud tha' tewk te form<br>(When te rest o' Heaven wos blue)  
>O' a demon in meh view."<p>

She unfolded her leg and slapped them down on the bags, kicking Cortez out of his hibernation. He screeched and flipped around in the bag, causing Cyan to scream and leap into Cyborg's arms. The bag fell off the trolley and rolled around, starting to draw the attention of their fellow airport patrons.

"Yer kiddin' me," Murdoc swiped the bag and opened it slightly. Cortez popped his head out, meeting the face of the scowling Satanist. "Oh Noodle, ih appears Rory misplaced one o' 'is toys," he said a bit loudly. The others looked around, confused by what he said, but then it became apparent when all the other people diverted their attention away. Yes, that thing that had frightened the strange, blue-haired girl was just a child's toy.

"Now you listen to me, you feather duster," Noodle whispered to Cortez, "not a peep or else. Now clamp that beak shut." She shoved his head back into the bag and zipped it shut. "That settles that."

"Sure," Cyan slipped down from Cyborg's arms.

"So Cortez is comin' with us?" said Primrose.

"Seems like," said Joel, who was splayed out on the floor.

"Wot'chu doin' down t'ere?" 2D asked.

"I'm tired," his son replied.

Everyone was tired, but they didn't dare try to rest their eyes. All they could do was sit and wait. One of them got up every so often to check outside and always came back with grim news. The storm showed no sign of letting up, crushing their spirit more and more. An hour passed, then another. The time they had been schedule to leave slipped by.

"I'm goin' fer a walk," 2D stood up and wandered away.

Joel and Cyan both sat up from their position on the floor. " 'E seems a bit gray, don'cha think?"

"Damn apple-bonkers," she replied.

"I'm serious. I guess 'e really 'ad 'is 'eart set on this trip."

"Well, expect the unexpected, I guess," said Noodle.

"Yep," Murdoc agreed, "I take life with a grain o' salt...an' a slice o' lemon...an' a shot o' tequila."

Russel narrowed his eyes. "I guess yo' never too old to learn somethin' stupid."

"Tha's right, I intend ta live forever." He looked around. "So far so good."

A beeping sound of the intercom overhead ended any conversation that was to follow. The entire waiting area quieted to hear the message that they'd been waiting for. "We are 'appy ta inform tha' a break in the weather is approachin' an' we will be able ta take-off in tha' time period. Please proceed ta the gates shown on the screen." The big screen flashed as 'delayed' and 'canceled' suddenly went away for several planes, theirs among those names.

2D came running back, sliding to a halt. " 'It te tarmac people! Let's move!"

"Finally!" Joel got up off the floor.

The area came alive as the people uprooted themselves, collected their belongings, and rushed off to their respective gates. Russel rushed the trolley to baggage registration and rejoined them as soon as they were at the front of the line for check-in. The clerk stared at them for a moment, his eyes studying them as he tried to piece together their identity. He checked them through nonetheless and they went onward, leaving him still befuddled on where he had seen them before.

"Quite the troop ya got 'ere," said the attendant at the gate. She had to double check Primrose and Joel due to them being taken out of the country by someone who, although being their father, was not their legal guardian.

"Stay where I can see yew!" 2D called as his three older offspring took off down the long hallway. "I wont ev'ryone on tha' plane! No one's gettin' left be'ind."

Cyan held her ticket out in front of her body and navigated among the seats and aisles until finding her designated spot. They were in standard class with a majority of the other travelers. She sank into her seat and began exploring the pocket on the back of the seat in front of her. "Lewkie 'ere!" she pulled out the air sickness bag. "Yew'll need t'is," she passed it to Primrose.

Joel was in front of his two sisters and had a window seat, something he immediately boasted about. 2D checked on them before moving a few rows ahead to his seat. They were all fairly close to one another. People began to fill the plane, shoving their luggage into the overhead space.

"Wot the-?" Joel leaned as far back as he could to see Cyan had clambered upward and into the overhead space. "Wot'chu doin' in there?"

"Jus' playin'," she responded.

"Playin' wot?"

"Jus' playin' around."

"I thought yew were claustrophobic," he reached up and brushed the rim of the open cover with his fingers.

"If yew shut tha', ih will be te last 'fing yew eveh do."

"No!" a flight attendant hurried over. "Yew are not allowed in there! Who does this belong ta?" she raised her voice so everyone could here.

"Tha' wewd be me," 2D came over and lifted his daughter down. "Be'ave yerself." He pushed her into her seat and walked back to his own.

"Blue meanie," Cyan pouted.

" 'E lewks nothin' like one," said Joel. People were completely swamping the aisles now, causing the siblings to retreat to their seats. A man ended up next to Joel, getting a feeling of uneasiness as the boy stared at him.

"Good mornin' passengers," came the pilot's voice on the intercom. "We've only got a short window fer take-off so let's do our best ta catch ih."

"We're movin'," Joel looked out his window as the tarmac slowly rolled out of sight.

" 'Fank yew, Captain Obvious," said Cyan.

"Yer welcome, Sergeant Sarcastic."

"Touche," Primrose whispered.

2D couldn't help but twist around in his seat to try and keep an eye on his children. He nudged Cyborg, who was in the seat next to him, and gestured in their direction. "Cewd yew?"

"Stuart, calm down," Noodle whispered from across the aisle. "They're fine."

"Fer now," Murdoc appeared at her side. "But yew never know 'bout later. I mean, the jaffa's the sorta kid tha' can' figure out why the boomerang's gettin' bigger till ih 'its 'im."

"Sir," a stewardess tapped him on the shoulder, "we're takin' off, yew need ta sit down."

"No, let 'im stay up an' roll ta te back!" Cyan called out.

"Go ta sleep, runt!" the Satanist countered, returning to his seat.

"She can'!" said Joel. "She's gotta stay up an' push yer buttons!"

"I'm a born button-pusher!" Cyan laughed.

* * *

><p>It was sunny in New York. The clouds parted for their plane to touch down in a warm atmosphere of the city that never sleeps. Of course, it looked awfully tame in the daylight. Cyan tossed her pillow to the floor. What little sleep she managed had been repeatedly interrupted with the nice inhale of what seemed like sour milk soaked into the depths of the fabric.<p>

"Absolute shit," she muttered, inciting a gasp from Primrose.

"I think I see Central Park!" Joel reported from his window-side seat.

"Well, yer view is betteh t'an mine." People began stretching as best they could in the restricted space, loosening up their cramped muscles for departure. In about half an hour, they would be off into New York City.

"This Brooklyn?" Primrose asked when Russel came back to check on them.

"Nah, this is Queens, but Brooklyn ain' far."

The unloading began like clockwork. People took down their carry-ons and departed as quickly as they could, late for meetings or family gatherings or whatever it was that the storm made them late for. 2D made sure to take his sweet old time, waiting for the aisles to clear up a bit before departing the place with his family.

At the entrance of the plane, Cyan suddenly came to an abrupt halt. "T'is is John F. Kennedy Airport, right?"

"Yeah, keep movin'!" said Murdoc.

"What's wrong?" Noodle asked.

"Nuffink, but te Beatles were at t'is place a long time ago." She moved forward after enjoying that small moment.

"We stay togetheh!" 2D said once they entered the airport and steered toward baggage claim. "Nobody's wanderin' off-"

"Can we see Ellis Island?" asked Primrose. "Are we allowed inside the Statue o' Liberty?"

"Hang on," Noodle stepped in, "I think we should figure out where we're going first before we go sight-seeing. We've got rooms booked at a hotel in Brooklyn, let's head over."

"Ih ain' much!" said Murdoc, looking down at their retrieved luggage. " 'Sides, they're rollin' suitcases. Let's see somethin' b'fore settlin' in."

"Ya ever get mugged before?" said Russel. "It's real easy to do."

In the end, their party was crammed into three taxis. The children documented the drive from Queens to Manhattan with mental pictures, and, in the case of Joel, photos on his cell phone. The towering skyscrapers made them lean their heads back until they were sure their necks would snap.

Cyan purchased a map of Manhattan upon emerging at the ferry station for a quick trip to Ellis Island. She had gotten her foreign currency exchanged at airport. It wasn't much, but it was enough to get some cool stuff. Russel made sure everyone had some American money in case of emergency. She thought he was being a bit paranoid, but figured New York wasn't exactly the place you wanted to get lost in.

"I'm bored," Murdoc complained loudly.

"We're almost there," Noodle replied, craning her head to keep a watchful eye on Rory. "Once the ferry docks, we'll see the island, then go to Brooklyn."

"I don' see why I even agreed ta come!"

" 'Cause yew love us!" Cyan said in a passing response.

Russel caught her as she tried to slip by. "Here," he handed her a slip of paper, "this is my mom's address. If anythin' happens, you go there an' call us. A cab will take ya straight there no problem." She nodded and put it away in her jacket pocket.

The adults of the group could find little time to actually relax. Until they dropped their stuff off at the hotel, the rolling suitcases were targets. Not that Cyborg, or Noodle, would ever let anyone lay their hands on the cases, but it was still dangerous. So the children took in the awe of the city while the adults worried.

"Tha's a big lady," said Joel, leaning back to take in the whole statue that stood tall and proud before them.

"Not tha' yew care, eh jaffa?" Murdoc lightly smacked him in the back of the head. "Yew cewdn' 'andle 'er."

"An' yew cewd?" said 2D.

"Boys, you're talking about a statue," said Noodle. _Of course, Murdoc did always shag El Diablo before Stuart shattered it. I wonder if it's a fetish? Note to self: go to the library._

"Click," Primrose snapped a photo on a small disposable camera her parents had supplied her with. "She's a symbol, ain' she? An icon o' freedom."

"Hence, Statue o' 'Liberty'," said Joel. "Ain' there some poem 'bout this place?"

"Ih's pro'lly inside!" Cyan led the troop into Fort Wood and upward into the statue itself. "Courtesy o' Édouard René de Laboulaye."

"I thought yew were Irish, not French."

"She said a French word on te plane," Cyan pointed at Primrose.

"Look at this," Noodle called them over. A plaque lay before them, words of inspiration carved into its depths.

_Give me your tired, your poor,_

_Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,_

_The wretched refuse of your teeming shore._  
><em>Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,<em>  
><em>I lift my lamp beside the golden door!<em>

"Can we go up?" Cyan asked 2D. "Ta te crown! Let's see awl o' New York."

"I don' know, love. I 'fink we shewd go ta te 'otel b'fore doin' anyfink else." Though reluctant, the siblings followed their father back to the ferry dock to board once more. Cyan couldn't help but feel a little sad as the island shrank. New York was full of diverse cultures and she wanted to see them all, new and old. That statue had represented so much to the people who first came to this land. Although rough times awaited, they were happy to be here.

They loaded the bags into three hailed cabs once more. Cyan handed her backpack off to 2D to be put with the rest of the stuff in the trunk. She and her siblings had one cab to themselves. But before they could depart for Brooklyn, Primrose's bag strap broke, spilling her random assortment of object onto the sidewalk. Her violin case was among them.

"Wot did'ja bring tha' 'fing fer?"

"I promised meh parents!" She scooped the stuff up and started shoving it back into her bag. The adults climbed into their own cabs at this time, unaware of what was taking place at the moment.

" 'Ey Noodle," said Murdoc, "ya wanna go inta Chinatown? Yew'll fit right in."

"I'm Japanese."

"Ih's awl the same, ain' ih?"

"You're a jerk, you know that?" The cabs pulled away into the stream of fellow yellow-colored cars, becoming lost from sight immediately.

"Where to?" the driver asked once the children were safely inside.

" Follow te cabs tha' te rest o' our group..." Cyan trailed off, realizing the adults were gone. _Uh oh... _"Um, 'ang on." She reached into her pocket for the slip of paper. To her horror, it yielded nothing as her hand poked through to her stomach. She could only stare in shock at her fingers touching her shirt. _I've gotta 'ole in meh pocket...an' no directions._

"Cy?" Joel nudged her shoulder. "Wot's up?"

"Destination please?" asked the driver.

"I lost te address!" Cyan hissed to her brother. "We're lost wiff nowhere ta go! Um," she raised her voice to speak with the driver, "take us ta...Times Square!" The cab lurched into the stream of cars.

It had happened. Murphy's Law had taken over once more. The three teens were lost in New York City. Times Square was the first destination that came to Cyan's mind. They would get even more lost in the crowds. _Awl we gotta do is stick togetheh. _She felt sick, knowing that when their father realized the cab containing his children wasn't going to arrive at the same destination, he would ultimately have a panic attack of his own. On that note, she was amazed she wasn't gasping for air at the moment. _I must be gettin' good at t'is._

It didn't make a difference to the driver that they were children. He let them off at their destination, got paid, then left. The siblings were lost in New York City with no knowledge of where to go. So they stood together, looking up at the advertisement screens. People milled about them, paying no heed. They had places to go.

"Te last time I wos 'ere," said Cyan, "I 'elped drive a cab, 'frew te Boogieman inta a window display, an' clipped Misteh Muhdoc wiff te side mirror."

"Sounds like a busy day," Joel sighed. "We gotta get a game plan. Wot we gonna do 'bout this problem? We can' wander Man-hat-tan aimlessly. We'll get shanked!"

"Calm down, we got Vangy," Cyan pulled out the charm. "Anyfink 'appens, we summon 'er fer protection. T'is sucks, I don' even 'ave meh bag anymore. Meh slingshot wos in t'ere...an' meh phone. Phone!" her outburst made her siblings both flinch. "Let's cawl 'em an' tell 'em wot 'appened."

"Mine's dead," Joel admitted, "takin' pictures."

"Mine's charged," Primrose hastily pulled out her cell phone and dialed their father.

* * *

><p>" 'Ello?" 2D couldn't imagine why the kids needed to call him. Maybe they saw something interesting on the route and wanted to tell him. What was told through the speaker was not what he wanted to hear. "WOT? !" His voice screeched loud enough that the cab swerved dangerously.<p>

" Stuart!" Noodle patted a terrified Rory on the back, his green eyes wide with fear at the level of his father's voice.

"Geez faceache!" Murdoc wound up his arm to slug 2D as hard as he could.

"Te kids are lost in Manhattan!" 2D gasped. "Cy lost te emergency directions! Rosie said t'ey were in Times Square. Turn around! Turn around!"

The driver was disgruntled from the strange blunette's outburst and, overall, this strange assortment of people in his cab. But they were paying customers. He turned around.

And Cyborg and Russel continued onward into Brooklyn.

* * *

><p>"Well," Cyan held her American currency in the palm of her hand for her siblings to see their limit, "wot's our plan? We can' stand in te Square till Da' gets 'ere an' judgin' by traffic, tha' won' be fer a while."<p>

"Let's go ta the Stock Exchange an' see wot we get," Joel suggested.

" 'Ow 'bout we don'?"

As her brother and sister argued, Primrose wandered to a kiosk nearby. It was full of brochures about the sights to see around New York. She pulled out a few, skimming through to find something interesting that could maybe keep them occupied. " 'Ow about the Empire State Buildin'?" she walked back over, holding out the pamphlet.

So it was decided and the siblings set off to occupy their time. After all, there was plenty to do in New York. One didn't even have to think it through. The city was theirs, all they had to do was take the opportunity. The crowds were incredible. Thousands of people moving between their destinations, completely focused on the matter at hand. Some people were shoved and not given an apology, but it seemed most didn't even care, continuing on. The siblings, however, were not people like that.

"Ouch!" Joel hissed when a man in a suit and tie, chatting animatedly on his cell phone, stepped right on his foot. The man continued on without looking back. Joel's foot could have been an upheaval of the sidewalk for all he cared. "Yew jerk!" the boy called after him.

"Wot an insensitive man," Primrose murmured.

"Get back 'ere an' apologize ta meh brotheh!" Cyan shouted, but the man was lost in the crowd.

"Move it, brats," a woman, who had enough Botox injected into her skin to turn her into a fish-face, pushed Primrose out of her path when she could have easily walked around. That time, they reacted right away. Joel picked up a dirt clod from a nearby planted tree on the sidewalk. He hurled it and it exploded in the middle of the woman's back. "How dare you! This is a six hundred dollar jacket!"

"Ih makes yew lewk like a walrus," Joel shot back. "Same material an' ev'rythin'. Am I right?" He and Cyan broke down in laughter as Primrose watched them, an uneasy look on her face.

"Police! Help!" the woman cried, rushing off. "I've been assaulted!"

"Wot a bitch," but with the dangers of being tried as juvenile delinquents, the siblings ran in the opposite direction. The plan for visiting the Empire State Building was completely forgotten as they beat a hasty retreat. They didn't stop for anything. It wasn't until they were completely out of breath did they halt to rest, then they took notice of their surroundings. Soft grass beneath their feet, paved pathways, a pond in the distance.

"We're in Central Park," Cyan realized.

* * *

><p>As soon as Times Square was in view, 2D jumped out of the cab and ran the rest of they way, leaving Noodle, Murdoc, and Rory so they wouldn't lose their ride. He used his height to his advantage and started searching over people's heads for any sign of his children. He did catch a blue flash, but it was just a girl with a stripe in her hair.<p>

"Ow!" Suddenly, 2D was tackled in the side. He stayed strong and didn't fall over, but firm hands belonging to a police officer gripped his arms behind his back.

"He looks just like 'em!" the fish-faced woman pointed an accusing finger at the poor man. "Blue hair and everything."

"Sir," said the cop, "I have a report that this woman was assaulted by a group of children and she-"

"Wait!" 2D ripped his arms free. "Two girls an' a boy, te girls 'ave blue 'air an' te boy's a brunette?"

"Yes, exactly," the woman spat. "Look what they did." She started to turn to show him the 'damage' but 2D wasn't paying any attention.

"T'ey're meh kids," he told the cop. "An' t'ey're really good kids. We jus' got separated is awl, t'ey're lost an' scared. I'm sure t'ey didn' mean any 'arm."

"Didn't mean any harm? They viciously attacked me without any provocation! And the boy ruthlessly mocked me!"

2D opened his mouth to explain why his children could have done such a thing, but his cell phone rang in his pocket. It was from Russel and he didn't even have to answer the phone to know what was going to be said. " 'Ey Russ."

"Where are you guys?"

"We uh...te kids got lost in Manhattan."

"What!" the man's voice crackled through the phone. "This is real bad!"

"Ih's not awl bad, I'm 'ere in Times Square right now wiff two people who saw 'em." He pressed the phone against his shoulder and spoke to the cop and woman. "Which way did t'ey go?"

"They took off in that direction," the woman pointed.

"If they kept goin' without weavin' too much, they'd end up in Cnetral Park," said the cop.

"Russ, go ta Central Park, t'ere's a good chance tha's where t'ey ended up!" 2D slipped his phone back into his pocket and raced off before the cop could stop him. He located the cab in the sea of other cab and told the driver of the new destination. "Central Park, please."

"Is that where they went?" Noodle asked.

"Ih's te only lead we got."

* * *

><p>This place was definitely a much more peaceful place than the hustle and bustle of the sidewalks. Several people were picnicking in the meadows and some were playing Frisbee and catch with a ball and glove. This place was the exact opposite of what the children had experienced in the cityscape. And they liked it.<p>

They started out together on one of the many, many walking paths. They passed by a large playground littered with children running and jumping, their watchful parents close by. The siblings continued on their way. They looked to their right, seeing a collection of bright tarps as a summer festival appeared to be in full swing. Primrose and Joel both smiled happily, silently asking permission from their older sister with head-nodding gestures.

"Go fer ih. I'll join ya soon, t'ere's somefink I gotta see." As her siblings rushed off for some fun, she continued up the path alone. Her hands stuffed in her pockets, head slightly tilted downward, she walked with a purpose, a destination. Her feet had swollen inside her shoes by the time she reached it.

Strawberry Fields memorial. She couldn't help but feel an aura of melancholy. It was like an essence of the mosaic stones. She looked up, out of Central Park, across the street to Dakota Apartments. _Hmm..._she sighed subconsciously. Deciding to not let the effects of this place drag her down anymore, she reluctantly turned to walk away. That was when she saw her.

The family had come to realize it was hard to tell Noodle and Cyborg apart at a glance. Noodle's face was completely healed, but the hyphema fracture had resulted in a permanently bloodshot look in her right eye. That was one way to tell. But whichever this woman was had her back turned. The suitcase by her side was part of a big set that all looked the same. Cyborg's hair cut was a bit neater than Noodle's favorite choppy look, so Cyan chose that road.

"Cyborg?" she asked cautiously.

The woman turned around, she had been facing in the direction of the lake. No bloodshot eye. "Cyan?"

"Ih is yew!" She rushed forward to tackle Cyborg into a hug. "Why are yew 'ere?"

"We received word from your father that you'd been lost and some people saw you come this way. Everyone's here somewhere, split up, looking for you, Primrose, and Joel." She looked around the area. "Where are they?"

"I know where t'ey are, don' worry. Let's go get 'em." They set out back down the path Cyan had come from. So no one was going to get killed in New York. They'd find each other and no harm was done. The festival did look enjoyable. Today was very sunny and warm. People were walking about in shorts and capris, flip-flops, happily eating cool treats. "Rosie, Jo! Lewk who I found!"

* * *

><p>Murdoc felt like he was the only smart one at the moment. Of course, he didn't say that out loud. But with the others in a frenzy over the lost teens, he took the initiative for control. Without them knowing, he had swiped the bag with the hibernating Cortez inside and freed him. With the advantage of the skies in his control, the Satanist and demon-bird set out to track down the children.<p>

* * *

><p>"Well...now wot?"<p>

The siblings and Cyborg had traveled upward on the walking paths and came to rest at the great reservoir. They were sitting on one of the many benches, listening to some street performers play music. They were pretty good actually.

"I guess we cawl Da'," said Cyan, in a slight tone of disappointment. The adults, especially their father, were paranoid about everything. That was why they never went anywhere. Frightened of harm coming to the children, frightened of being recognized, frightened of demons despite having the Evangelist. Cyan didn't want any of those things to happen, but there was always that chance and sometimes the risks were worth taking. But so far, the only true fun they had had was getting lost and exploring the city on their own.

Primrose whipped out her phone, but sweaty palms slipped it from her hand and sent it scattering into a metal grate. The four of them shrieked together and hurdled to the grate. Primrose starting squeezing her chest through, reaching downward to their only line to their father. She pulled back out and, while blushing furiously, said, "Meh chest's too big."

It was in that moment that Cyan couldn't help but look her sister up and down. Those gangly arms and legs were a lot less noticeable as the rest of her body grew to match them. And indeed, her budding chest prevented her from reaching her phone. Poor Cyan subconsciously rubbed her wrist against her own flat chest. She was older than Primrose by many months, but her sister was surpassing her in height and body development. As the smallest, Cyan easily squeezed through and retrieved the phone.

A low laugh made them spin around at whoever was mocking them. One of the street performers, a black man wearing a slightly patched jacket and dark sunglasses, had his hands pressed against his mouth, but there was no mistaking the jerking of his chest.

"Yew got somefink ta say ta us?" Cyan growled.

"Easy lil' sistah, ain't no one callin' fouls. But it looks like your life line's sprung a leak."

Primrose squeaked when she realized a crack running down the screen of her phone. "Ih's awlways me."

"Always you, huh?" said the man. "Sounds like some blue material."

"Is tha' a joke?" Cyan snapped. "Blue 'air, hah-hah!"

"No lil' sistah, I mean the power of the blues. When bad things happen, ya gotta release that energy somehow."

"A lot of bad things have happened," said Cyborg.

"Well, c'mon over," he gestured for them to join him on his bench. They referred to it as 'his' bench because a guitar case and bag was strewn across it. "Tell old Eddy your troubles."

"We got separated from our family," Cyan explained. "An' since Rosie's phone's broke, we ain' got no way ta let 'em know we're 'ere. Not ace at awl..." She looked around, spying a pay phone. "T'ere's an idea." She reached into her pockets, but only emerged with paper money, no coins. She noticed change in the guitar case. "Break a..." she looked closely at the bill she held, "one?"

"Sorry lil' sistah, can't do that."

"Why not?" Joel asked.

" 'Cause I don't want that musical power inside all y'all to go to waste. I can feel it. Yo Jimmy!" His call brought a young man with tanned skin, scruffy hair, and dragging a trumpet running toward them. "You tell me, can you feel it?"

The younger man, Jimmy, looked them over. "Oh yeah, it's real strong in 'em. There's some power inside these souls." At this comment, Cyborg placed a hand on her chest, a look of wonderment on her face. "Don't keep it in, lil' friends, let it out!" He blared a note on his trumpet to explain what he was saying.

"But we don' 'ave instruments," said Cyan.

"I do!" Primrose extracted her violin. "But I'm not very good...even though I practice awl the time."

"Your creativity is just waitin' to burst out," said Jimmy. "Just give it a chance. Go to Susan," he pointed her to a woman skillfully playing her own violin across the way. And it wasn't until Primrose got closer that she realized Susan was doing it with her eyes closed.

"I jus' started drums," said Joel, excited over the idea of them performing in the park.

"Go to Allen," he was pointed to a teenager playing with a set that had a few drums replaced with plastic buckets.

"I play guitar," said Cyborg, only to have Eddy's instrument shoved into her lap.

"What about you, lil' sistah?" Eddy asked Cyan. "What's your expertise?"

"I...I play melodica."

"Whoa! Never heard of that." He laughed heartily, making her face heat up in her slight irritation.

"An' keyboard."

"That's what I was waitin' for." Eddy personally escorted her to two men who looked to be in their early twenties, playing side-by-side on a raised keyboard. "Let my lil' friend here take a whack at it." So Cyan was sat down in front of the instrument, staring blankly at the keys. She looked up and around at her siblings and Cyborg at their respective places. People walking through the area stopped and stared at the strange children with blue hair. Joel got his attention by quickly slamming out some notes.

_T'ey're waitin' fer a show. _The crowd grew more and more, people gawking at the strange sight. "Wot wewd yew do if I played out o' tune, wewd yew stand up an' walk out on me?" she blurted. Those who got the reference started laughing and clapping right away. Suddenly fired up by this reaction, Cyan let her fingers dance across the keys. The others noticed and took up tunes similar to what she was playing.

* * *

><p>"Stupid bird!" 2D, Noodle, and Rory could only watch as Murdoc berated the poor demon-bird. "Yew were supposed ta find the runt, not <em>them<em>!"

"Give it a rest Murdoc," Noodle took her turn in scolding. "Cortez, try and find the kids."

"Wait love," 2D shushed them, his head turning about wildly. "Ya 'ear tha'? Ih's...ih's music."

"Ih's jus' some street performers," said Murdoc.

"Don' ask me 'ow, but I know ih's not."

"Yer crazy."

But 2D ran off in the direction of the music anyway.

* * *

><p>By the excitement of the crowd, it could be deduced that they were playing quite well, and by the pile of money slowing growing at her feet. But Cyan couldn't stop. There were more notes to be played, more emotion to express. She couldn't even see or hear the crowd anymore. Her mind was completely focused on the movement of her hands across the black and white keys, piecing each sound together so they rose as one and blessed the ears of those listening. Nothing could stop her.<p>

"Cyan!"

Wait, _that _could. "Da'?" she halted immediately, the notes dying as soon as her blessed fingers left the keys. 2D pushed his way through the crowd and crushed her against his chest upon reaching her. The keyboard almost got knocked over, but was quickly saved. "Da', ih is yew!"

"I'm so 'appy yer awlright!" Primrose and Joel tore away from their places to tackle their father to the ground. "Awl o' yew! No one's 'urt? Ev'ryone's okay?"

"We're fine Da', perfectly fine."

"Russel!" Noodle waved the man over. He had been following the sound as well. "We found the kids!"

The crowd's attention span was short. With no music keeping them tethered, they dissipated. The money, however, did not. " 'Ere," Cyan offered her pile to Eddy. "Yew need ih more."

"I can't do that, I didn't earn." He placed a hand on her head and smiled before returning to his bench, taking his guitar back from Cyborg. Cyan looked down at the pile of money in her hands. She didn't want it, she didn't need it anymore. But they wouldn't accept it. A plan formed in her head. As she passed the word to Joel, Primrose, and Cyborg, they each combined their piles to hers, then divided them up.

They each took a spot near the performers and waited. As each took up their instruments, they tensed. As soon as one note was played on each, the piles were dropped into the cases, or hats, or buckets, or whatever was being used to collect money.

* * *

><p>"Are we in trouble?"<p>

"Did ya do t'is on purpose?"

"No."

"T'en yer not."

Crammed back into the taxis, the family was finally on their way to their destination. The kids didn't get their own cab anymore, but they were fine with it. Today had been a great day and it was only going to get better. Russel promised a big dinner at his parents' house and said they could go to Coney Island.

" 'Ow about we leave out te part about gettin' separated when t'is trip is told ta Primrose's parents an' Joel's motheh?" 2D suggested.

"Agreed," said Cyan.

* * *

><p>I have been on a Beatles streak lately after watching HELP! A Hard Day's Night, and Yellow Submarine. (and I mean the movies)<p>

There are some Beatles references in this chapter. Some are obvious, some aren't. I'll give you a few, but you have to find the rest on your own.

'Cyan called 2D a 'blue meanie' and when Joel said 2D looked gray, Cyan blamed the apple bonkers.'

'There's a hole in my pocket'

'Do you know what just happened to me?' 'No.'

Thank God it's Spring Break! I think the change in routine will be nice and inspirational. I've been feeling a bit down lately. Also, I've noticed Noodle's being very negative. That's not by accident. I recently discovered each of the band members represents the four temperaments.

2D- Sanguine

Murdoc-Choleric

Noodle-Melancholic

Russel- Phlegmatic

I'm also melancholic and we tend to be a little pessimistic at times, that's why it seems she's always spouting grief.


	40. Bonus: The Speaker of Forgotten Souls

The Speaker of Forgotten Souls

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>Sara Carver was new to Valleyridge. Well, not new. She had been going to the town for a while as a tourist. This year marked her third visit of coming to the quaint town to escape the cityscape. She was a plain woman, nothing to really call any attention to herself. So not many natives of the town paid her any mind. She was just like the regular summer crowd. Little did Sara know, she would start a situation that would throw a family into turmoil and almost rip away a child from her father, but also bring another child to a true home.<p>

And it all started one day, in late July, at the lake.

* * *

><p>"Eww! Get it away!"<p>

Valleyridge had become quite the hot-spot now that summer was in full bloom. The weather was kind, the heavens open nearly every day to gorgeous sunlight warming the Earth. The family was happy to admit that tans were starting to take place. At least 2D and Cyan didn't look sickly anymore.

"I'm serious! Take it away!"

"Make 'er kiss ih!" Arthur called from the water. The family, well, most of it, was enjoying this beautiful day at the lake with at least half of Valleyridge present. The other half were tourists or the regulars.

"Cyan!" Noodle scrambled to her feet, her previous warnings gone unnoticed. "Put it down! Don't come near me! Stuart!" She leapt away from their spot on the shore and retreated a few feet. Cyan was clutching her ribs with laughter, a clump of slimy water plants in her hand.

"Wot's te matteh, love?" 2D laughed at the sight of his distressed wife. "Ih ain' gonna bite'cha!" There was a loud grunt, then a cool, slimy sensation smacked him in the face. With Noodle out of reach, Cyan had picked a new target and sent the plants sailing onto her father's head. "Tha's ih!" He sprang forward, the plants sliding off and falling next to Cyborg, who squeaked and ran away with memories of a one-eyed octopus driving her fear.

2D grabbed his squealing daughter around the waist and lifted her without much effort. He flipped her upside-down and dunked her head in the water multiple times. She tried kicking him in the head, but he kept moving around. When he pulled her back up one one dunk, she released a spray of water from her mouth. He dropped her, creating a minor splash due to her size.

Cyan crept back onto the shore, taking the clump and tossing it to Arthur. He dropped it back in the water while she rubbed the water from her eyes and sent it shooting out her nose. "I swallowed some 'frough meh nose," she said.

"That's the worst," said Russel.

The scene was interesting, but it wasn't like similar things weren't happenings all over the lake. However, one person's attention was drawn directly to the strange family that everyone either enjoyed or ignored. Scrutinizing eyes fell onto the young girl and the scars displayed by her swimsuit. A shoulder scar, pale pink against her newly tanned skin. Several others showed up as well, small scratches and cuts, long since healed, standing out like paintbrush strokes on their canvas. She was indeed a canvas, a canvas of torment.

Sara Carver did not like what she saw on that child. Years of torture were displayed for all to see, yet they ignored it. This girl had been horribly mistreated and no one seemed to care. Sara turned her attention to, who she guessed was, the father. Skeletal in appearance, ribs pressed tightly against his skin, and his own decorations of scars. His face was what frightened her the most. His eyes were two gaping black holes, further accentuated by deep bruises. The blue hair was fine, that didn't bother her. But then there was one more thing.

That woman, the one who had fled first. She was part of this group. She was a little on the thinner side as well, but had a healthy glow to her body. But that eye, her right eye, completely bloodshot. Sara wasn't a doctor, but in order for that wound to exist, blunt trauma was enforced at that woman's face. There was no bruise or cut, so it was healed. There was just the bloody eye.

A small boy was also with the family. He played in the shadow of the large man with ghostly white eyes. The boy seemed perfectly happy and showed no sign of fear among these scarred people. What had happened to this family? Why was the father so beaten up? Why did the woman sport an eye that looked like she'd been struck with a crowbar? And why, most of all, was that little girl an intricate artwork of injuries?

It was Sara's job to find out.

* * *

><p>On some days at the shop, Cyan liked to go with her father on his 'runs'. Some people had larger instruments or equipment that they didn't even dare try to move. If they broke down, 2D went out to fix them. Toolbox in hand, the father and daughter departed the shop and went to a familiar place. With the outbreak of summer tourists, the Northridge Hotel was receiving a lot of attention. Of course, the owners, Lynn and Danny, were definitely happy about the situation, their old piano in the lobby was not.<p>

"Poor 'fing," Cyan patted the old instrument. "S'not used ta 'avin' so much attention."

" 'Specially since those kids don' know 'ow ta play a thing," Lynn joked. "No...tha' wos mean." Lynn and Danny were technically the first people who met the family and although their paths didn't cross very often, that one factor stood out above all else. This was their first home before they were cleared to buy the house. That piano was Cyan and 2D's entertainment and they hated to see it misused.

It was a grand old thing, a gift from Danny's father. Normally shiny black, it was now tarnished with fingerprints. Cyan ran a cloth of polish over the whole instrument until it gleamed. 2D double-checked that the top cover wouldn't fall on him and began his work inside. The last thing he needed was another heavy object striking his head.

"We're officially full," Danny walked into the lobby, tossing a clipboard on the front counter. "Ev'ry room is taken. Feet off the couch!" he barked at a young couple who were completely infatuated with one another. They yelped and rushed off to a more private place, earning a look of disgust from Cyan. 2D and Noodle's flirts were as far as she could stand. Murdoc was all talk these past few years, but he sure had a lot of stories.

"Ev'ry room," said Lynn. "Tha's amazin'. Business is incredible."

"More ka-ching in yer pocket?"

"Cyan, tha's not polite," 2D emerged from inside the piano. "Ya don' go around askin' 'ow much money people 'ave."

"Misteh Muhdoc sure likes ta point out 'ow much money 'e 'as."

"Well..tha's jus' Muhdoc."

"Actually," Lynn spoke up, "we've saved up quite a bit over the years an' this year 'as topped 'em awl. We've learned about a few complications with our...'bodies', so we've been thinkin' about adoptin' a child."

"Tha's ace!" For Cyan, the thought of a parent-less child being given such loving home was such a heart-warming sensation. "Jus' remember, if one lewks a li'le frail an' sickly, don' ovehlook ih."

"Oh yes, yew've taught us tha'," said Danny.

They didn't pay attention to the few people still in the lobby. A woman sat on one of the couches. Though she was pretending to read a book, she was actually marking down mental notes. Frail and sickly, the girl mentioned it so easily because she knew it from experience. And these adults responded without a second thought.

"Yew were so li'le," Lynn held her hand down to her waist. "Such a tiny li'le girl."

"I thought yew were a monkey," said Danny.

Very interesting.

* * *

><p>"Wot's te shelf life o' t'is stuff?" Cyan wasn't sure how long they had this chocolate sauce, but ice cream just wasn't complete without it. And they needed to hurry and eat before 2D and Noodle came home and found them stuffing their faces.<p>

"I think ih clots up," said Arthur. "Jus' try," he held out his bowl. It took a bit of squeezing, so much that they wondered if there was any left, but soon all three bowls had sufficient amount. Rory happily dug in with gusto, smearing the treat across his face. His joyful look was wiped away. His spoon dropped into his bowl, spraying droplets across the table. His sticky hands pressed against his head and he started howling.

"Brain freeze," Cyan and Arthur said together. The toddler's wails quickly brought Cyborg to his rescue; unfortunately, she was thrown into even more distress than him when she realized she couldn't do anything to help him.

"If one o' yew dies, ih wosn' meh fault," Murdoc walked in from outside. "I'd jus' like ta make tha' clear."

" 'E's not dyin', ih's brain freeze," Cyan explained. "Ih'll wear off. I guess 'e 'asn' 'ah too much experience wiff ice cream. I didn' 'ave meh firs' ice cream till I wos nine. Noodle bought ih fo' me."

"Nine?" said Arthur. "Jeez, I wos sneakin' ih since I cewd walk. Meh dad used ta come down stairs early in the mornin' an' find me passed out covered in vanilla. An' mum never found out."

"Or she did an' she let ih slide," Murdoc worked past them all and swiped a beer from the fridge. "I used ta do awl sorts o' things. I once lit a squirrel on fire." He shrugged when the children gasped. "Ih wos awlready dead."

"An' yew 'fink tha' makes up fer ih?" Cyan squeaked. She put her bowl teetering on the sink edge. It fell in, shattering with a loud enough bang to match a gunshot. They all jumped and shouted, starting a large argument.

"Jus' be glad I put up with awl o' yew. Any an' awl brats are skinned alive."

"Makin' a lampshade?" Cyan muttered, picking up the shards. "Ah!" she hissed when a small barb dug into her hand. "Damn ih!"

"Nah, I'd turn yew inta a throw rug." Murdoc picked up the roll of paper towels and tossed them over to the girl so she could staunch the cut.

* * *

><p>The downfall of the family was the open windows to air the house out. Sara Carver crouched below the open kitchen windows, her back leaned against the house as she listened to the conversations taking place inside. She'd been alerted by the Rory's cries but Murdoc wandering about the outside of the property prevented her from hearing the rest until he went inside.<p>

There was no doubt in her mind something was going on inside this house. She couldn't find any tone of humor in Murdoc's voice and, in her sight, it was obvious there was something off about him. She'd been following the family for three days, but could only ever get close enough when they were in town. This was her first visit to the actual house and her mind was set. Abuse of some kind was happening in this family or freaks. Since the boy showed no sign, she would have to get him later, but she could at least save the poor teen.

The woman froze when the odd sensation of being watched burned into her soul. She looked upward in case one of the house occupants had spotted her and was leaning out the window. No, but a large, grisly, black bird with glimmering red eyes was staring down at her. She would have dismissed it if it weren't for the feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach. There was something strange about this bird and she didn't like it.

She gathered her notes and left as quickly as she could, but she couldn't shake that horrid feeling from the gaze of the bird. This whole house was unnatural, no child should be here. She fled all the way back to town, but Cortez held her form in his sight long after he stopped seeing her. That woman was trouble.

Sara Carver would return to work early. Her boss would question the short vacation until she explained what she had seen and found out in Valleyridge. In all honesty, her notes were a little exaggerated. In her mind, it was necessary.

* * *

><p>Cyan opened the door early the next morning, only to be greeted by a woman wearing a fancy suit and two police men. The girl stared at them, a series of possibilities running through her head as to why these people were here. After mentally confirming she had done nothing wrong these past few weeks, she went the most likely road. "If yer lewkin' fer a green-skinned old man who wos most likely drunker t'an 'oly 'ell wheneveh yew saw 'im, try 'round te side o' te garage. 'E may not come easy, so jab 'im a few times wiff a taser."<p>

"No meh dear," the woman spoke, "we are 'ere fer yew."

Cyan bit her lip, running the scenarios through her head once more. Still nothing. "Wot did I do?"

Sara Carver bent to Cyan's level. "Yew did nothin' wrong. I'm 'ere ta save yew from yer torment."

"Come again?"

"Cy?" 2D came down the stairs, craning his head to see who was at the door. "Someone 'ere?" He spied the police and, immediately assuming Murdoc, started a hasty approach to clear this whole mess up.

"Halt!" one of the cops held out his hand. 2D, shocked by the firmness of the order, stopped dead in his tracks. "Yew are required by law ta stand down."

The blunette looked down at his own feet and slowly made his gaze up to his chest. "I don' 'fink I can. Sorry officer, I'm jus' too tall."

" 'E means," Sara spoke up, "stay away."

" 'Ow rude, yew can' come ta meh door an' act tha' way. I outta cawl te cops."

"Umm," Cyan shook her head, "Da'?"

"Oh," 2D ducked his head in embarrassment. "Disregard tha' las' comment, officers. Wot seems ta be te reason fer intrudin' in such a manner?" When it came to the police, not matter who was in trouble, 2D made his best effort to get the officers out as soon as possible. A little charm and smarts thrown in, he was usually successful. But, in that moment, he realized these weren't police from Valleyridge.

"I am Sara Carver an' I am seizin' yer daughter. She will be placed in a foster 'ome, far from the abuse yew've put 'er through."

"Wot? !" 2D and Cyan shouted together.

"Please ma'am," 2D picked up after the outburst, "no abuse 'as taken place undeh meh roof. I love meh kids wiff awl meh 'eart, I wewdn' 'urt 'em."

"Sir, yer daughter is riddled with scars an' is 'orribly undersized fer a child 'er age. Judgin' by yer size, I can guess tha' she shewd be much taller since the tall gene is dominant."

"Yes, she shewd, but Cy 'asn' even 'it puberty yet! She'll shoot up t'en. She's perfectly 'ealthy in ev'ry way!"

Without warning, Sara reached out and tugged the sleeve of Cyan's pajama shirt off her shoulder. The knife wound was displayed for all to see. "Tha' does not lewk 'ealthy."

"I can explain-" 2D stepped forward, but one of the police men quickly apprehended him. "Lemme go! Don' touch meh daughter!"

"Stuart?" Noodle leaned over the railing of the second floor balcony, taking in the image of her husband being held back by a police man. "What's going on? What's happening?"

"Noods! Go protect Rory! T'ey're takin' me!" Cyan shouted. "Don' let 'em take 'im too!" 2D began to fight the uncomfortable position his arms were twisted in. The second cop stepped in to force him to his knees. Cyan gasped and began jumping upward and bringing her whole weight crashing to the floor. Within moments, Russel appeared from the basement.

"Hey! Let him go!" The larger man bore down on the two cops, who broke away from 2D. "Ya better have a search warrant or somethin', ya can' jus' walk into a guy's house an' dislocate his arms."

"Stop!" Sara demanded. "I 'ave a court order ta remove this child from 'er current situation. I've been wotchin' this family fer three days an' 'ave come ta the conclusion tha' acts o' abuse 'ave been takin' place 'ere. Come along," she gestured out the door, where a car was waiting.

"Yew can' make me," Cyan backed away, taking shelter behind the couch. "Yew can' make me leave."

"Now I realize yew can' say anythin' in front o' _'im_," Sara jerked her head at 2D, "but yew will be perfectly safe. I'll put yew in a nice, safe foster 'ome an' no one will beat yew anymore."

"Te system is wot beat me in te firs' place! 'Ey!" One of the policemen picked Cyan up and walked out the door. "Daddy! Russel! Someone 'elp me!"

Noodle flew down the stairs and darted out the door since the other policeman was keeping Russel and 2D back. The woman yanked open the garage door, revealing Cyborg fast 'asleep', her head hanging. "Wake up!" she started yanking cords out, causing her cyber twin to twitch and shudder. "Please dear God, wake up!" The robot was still unresponsive.

Noodle abandoned the idea and rushed back outside. Cyan had been placed inside the car, the doors locked electronically to keep her from escaping. Her muffled screams could still be heard as she pounded on the window. "If you take her away, for all you know, she'll go right back into the situation she escaped from!"

"Now ma'am, I can assure you-" the last thing the cop was expecting was to be charged at by such a small woman in comparison. But Noodle was no pushover. The cop was almost downed by a swift knee to the stomach. He realized this wasn't any normal situation and drew out his taser.

Noodle shrieked loudly as a bolt of electricity surged through her body. She fell to the ground, her muscles twitching in agony. The other policeman bolted out of the house and joined his friend in the car. It sped off down the slope, leaving the distressed family in its wake. Gunshots echoed into the sky and chunks of the road leapt upward behind the car. Cyborg stood in the driveway, firing away at the vehicle. Several broken cords hung from her shoulders from her ripping them apart to rise. When she stopped shooting, a distressed Ferdinand took off down the road to follow Cyan. It was all in vain, the car was gone.

* * *

><p>"Anybody else 'ave a dream about war?" Murdoc walked through the front door two hours after the events. "Awl this shoutin' an' gunfire." He spied the others clustered around the table. Tears decorated the wood in several places, mostly under the person at that specific spot. "Wot's awl this? Who died?"<p>

"Murdoc," Noodle wiped her eyes, "some people came and took Cyan away. They said we were abusing her!"

"Wot? So tha' wosn' the rum comin' back on me a few 'ours earlier? Awl tha' noise actually 'appened?" The others nodded. Murdoc took a step forward only to come in contact with something cold and sticky on his bare foot. A puddle of oil dribbled from Cyborg's chair, the same substance running down her face in streaks. Of course, she didn't have tears to cry. "Wot authority did they 'ave?"

"The woman said she'd been watchin' us," Russel explained. "Nobody's been hurtin' Cy, right?" Everyone agreed that an abusive hand had not been laid upon the teen. Russel turned a sheet of paper on the table over. "They threw this out the window o' the car. It's a court order, the date's at the end o' this week."

"Four days," 2D slid the paper into his view, "we got four days. We need ta prove tha' t'is 'ouse is in no way abusive! We gotta get 'er back!"

"Tha's not gonna cut ih," said Murdoc. "Any 'ouse can turn from abusive ta lovin'. Jus' provin' this is a good place isn' gonna bring 'er back. Yew need ta find proof tha' the runt's injuries were from the orphanage, _before _she wos in yer custody."

They had four days to find the proof, four days to show that Cyan would be safe in their care. From the start 2D wished the matter be kept secret, but somehow it leaked. Soon, the whole town was at their doorstep to offer their condolences. It was crippling in a way. Some people formed a prayer circle on the front lawn and Murdoc had to sleep inside the house since he couldn't get to his Winnebago.

However, most of the people were very helpful. Several brought photos of different events that had taken place in town bearing Cyan in the picture. These were accepted graciously and sorted together to form a sort of timeline of the girl's progress since living here, along with the several pictures from her room wall. But what they completely lacked were photos of Cyan right after she came to live with them. They needed pictures of her condition from the start.

"I know!" Noodle was struck with the idea very suddenly. There was a picture, it was a long shot, but she remembered the click of a camera on their group when they first came to Valleyridge. If that photo still existed, it was at the Northridge Hotel. Lynn had snapped it after they'd gotten the rights to the house. Cyan was incredibly sickly in the photo, but was smiling and clutching 2D's neck as he held her up in the shot.

Noodle and Cyborg snuck out down the hill and received a ride into town by Mister Christofferson and Arthur. "Ih's really tha' bad?" said the man. "Yew can' even get yer cars out?"

"We can't even leave the house," said Noodle.

"Ev'rythin's gonna work, right?" Arthur asked. "Yew'll get Cyan back? She'll come 'ome an' we'll 'ang out...we'll go back ta school an' screw around in class. We'll 'ave fun...right?"

"We are doing everything to get her back," said Cyborg.

"But we have to follow the system," Noodle explained. "At the court date, we present our findings and prove that our home is a safe environment for Cyan to live in."

" 'Ow's Rory 'andlin' ih?" asked Mister Christofferson.

"He's okay. He doesn't quite understand what's going on. Stuart's the one I'm worried about. He won't eat and he barely sleeps. I don't think the candlelight vigil is helping either."

"Yew got an actual game plan, 'cause from wot I know 'bout yer family, yew jus' dive in 'eadlong."

"We do our best." She and Cyborg were out as soon as they pulled up into the parking lot. The tourists were still streaming about, but they were slowly starting to leave. Everyone was currently at the house, leaving their shops closed. The town was empty without its people. "Lynn, Danny?"

"Oh Noodle!" the woman nearly vaulted over the front counter to hug her. "I'm so-so-so sorry ta 'ear about wot 'appened! Poor li'le Cyan taken from 'er daddy! Wot are they gonna do ta 'er?"

"Nothing, we're getting her back. Look, when we first arrived, you took a picture of us. I know we looked like crap, but do you still have it by any chance?"

"Yes, right 'ere," Danny started yanking folders and papers out from behind the desk. "I know we kept ih 'cause yew lot were the strangest things ta ever come through our doors. 'Ere ih is!" he held up the single photo. "I 'ope ih 'elps."

Noodle held the picture in her hands. 2D had Cyan in his arms, who was squeezing his neck tightly. Their wide grins were impossible for someone to replicate if they did not feel genuine joy. Russel stood at the side, the deed to their new house held up to the camera. Noodle was on the other side of 2D, her own arms hooked around his neck, making him lean partly over so she wouldn't strangle him. The bruise was still pretty fresh on her face. She leaned closer and closer to the photo, spying the shoulder wound against pale skin, newly stitched up from the hospital. She checked the date in the corner. This was perfect.

* * *

><p>"I wanna go 'ome! Yew are bad people! Yer kidnappers! 'Elp me!" Cyan stretched herself out on the backseat and started kicking the window. She was barefoot and still in her pajamas, but she didn't care about the damage that could be done. "I wont meh da'!"<p>

"Calm down," Sara grabbed the child's flailing legs. "Ih's okay, yer gonna be fine." Cyan refused to listen and started a death-roll like she'd seen crocodiles do on Animal Planet. Her shirt was snagged and wound tightly around her chest. She wiggled and fell under the seat. "Please li'le one-"

"Don' cawl me li'le!" she snapped up. "Yew 'ave no right ta talk ta me! Yew tewk me from a lovin' 'ome an'-"

"I realize yer delusional an' confused about yer situation. I once saved a brother an' sister who thought they deserved ev'ry beatin' their drunk father delivered. They were so flummoxed, they ran away from their foster 'ome an' tried ta return. But they got 'elp an' so will yew." Sara grabbed Cyan's wrist, peeling the bandage off. "See? They did this ta yew, but I'll make sure ih never 'appens again."

"I did tha'!" the girl ripped her hand away.

"Yew...yew 'armed yerself? Oh, this is far worse than I thought! Once yer court date's passed, I can save yer brother as well. Yew can live together, safe an' sound."

"Leave Rory outta t'is," Cyan hissed, her eyes blazing. This situation wasn't one she wanted to be in at all and she definitely wasn't going to let them separate Rory from Noodle and 2D. He needed them, she could survive on her own. "Can...can I borrow yer lipstick?"

Sara smiled. "Yew seem about the right age ta experiment with this sort o' stuff. Did ya even get ta be a girl in tha' 'ouse?" She pulled out some red lipstick from her purse and passed it to the girl. "I 'ad a case with a sixteen year-old who thought she wos a boy 'cause 'er mother kept miscarryin' an' she wos the only tha' wos carried ta term. 'Cause a son cewdn' be provided fer the father, the poor girl wos pumped full o' testosterone, she wos beaten ev'ry time she 'ad 'er period, she-...wot are yew doin'?" The lipstick was ripped out of Cyan's hand, the half-finished message on the window.

"I'm tryin' ta cawl fer 'elp, yew crazy bitch! Misteh Muhdoc taught me t'is. 'Cept 'e used pen ink 'e sucked outta te cartridge. Worked fine anyway." She licked her finger and tried to pry up some of the lipstick art to continue her plea for help.

"Yew seem...very relaxed fer wontin' ta return. Most kids are so hysterical, whether they wont ta be rescued or go back, tha' they 'urt themselves."

"I ain' no freak, but I know 'ow ta 'andle a situation." The lipstick residue wouldn't spread, so she spit and wiped it all over the window and scraped her message into it. "I've been t'ere b'fore, te orphanage, I don' wanna go back. I'll kill mehself b'fore I go back. Meh da' rescued me an' yew've taken me from 'im."

"Yer goin' straight inta a foster 'ome, we're takin' yew there now. Yer family is waitin' fer yew now with a new room, new clothes, toys-"

"I 'ad awl tha' stuff back at meh real 'ouse! Yer te one who's delusional!" She stopped ranting when the car came to a halt. They were in front of a modest little house that looked right out of a magazine add. A sapling tree grew in the front yard and some flower bushes were planted by the front door. Despite this picture perfect set-up, Cyan felt sick to her stomach.

_I don' wanna be 'ere._ Her body began to tremble, but this was interpreted as excitement. She stepped out of the car, the cold pavement against her bare feet reminding her of her apparel. The door opened, a smiling man and woman stepped out to meet them. They looked very nice and genuinely happy to see her. But..._T'ey mean nuffink ta me. T'ey're nuffink. Accept no 'appiness, I do not belong 'ere._

"Ih's so wonderful ta meet yew!" the woman bent over to be at eye level. "I'm Louise, but yew can cawl me 'Mum' if yew-"

"Neveh," Cyan muttered, shocking the woman slightly.

The man blinked a few times before giving it a go. "I'm Samson an' I'm perfectly 'appy ta be yer new father-"

"Don' touch me!" she spat, barreling past them and into the house, leaving the bewildered adults outside.

"She...uh, she's a li'le delusional about the situation. She even 'as a fresh wound but refuses ta believe in 'er abuse. She's very sensitive, so please be very careful. Despite 'er smawl size, she's got a lotta spitfire. I need ta return ta the office an' begin ta prepare fer the court date. 'Ere," she handed them a sheet of paper, "this might 'elp. This li'le one's quite a piece o' work, but this paper 'as a lot o' information about useful techniques on 'ow ta approach a lot o' situations." A scream of rage from inside the house made them flinch. "Good luck."

Sara turned back to the car, only to realize the most horrifying thing. The bird from Cyan's home was perched on top. Cortez ruffled his wings, his hunched posture making him appear all the more frightening. His glittering red eyes watched her every move. She approached slowly and slipped into the car. She exhaled slowly when, as the car moved, the bird flew off behind the house.

The husband and wife returned to inside their home, only to be greeted by the human tornado ripping through rooms. "Where's te phone? I wanna cawl meh family an' tell 'em ta come rescue me!"

"Oh dear," Louise held up the paper so she could read. "Okay, yer in a safe place now. Nobody's gonna 'urt'cha anymore, this is a wonderful place. Yew'll be given ev'rythin' yew need ta resume a normal life. Therapy, a good school, a stable family life-"

"I cewd've gotten awl tha' back in Valleyridge! I neveh needed therapy, I went ta a good school, meh family life wosn' stable, but tha' wos wot made ih fun! I wanna go 'ome!" She slammed her fists on the marble counter-top. They all heard a loud *crack* followed by Cyan's screeching howls of pain. "Meh wrist! I twinged ih! Ow-ow-ow! I need me wrist guard!" She halted in her tirade. "But I ain' got none o' meh stuff. None o' meh..." she paused, an idea forming in her head. "None o' meh medications."

"Medications?" said Samson.

"Allergies, pain killehs, anti-depressants, an' t'ere's meh wrist guard, or else meh arm causes me great discomfort. T'en t'ere's meh special bedspread fer meh night terrors. Yew won' be mad if I wet meh bed will yew?" she asked in a piteous tone.

"Oh yew poor li'le thing," Louise cooed. "I'm sure we cewd find awl tha' stuff. Yew got some sorta prescriptions fer yer meds?"

"No, t'ey were unmarked. I 'fink I'm addicted ta some. Meh big sisteh awlways got 'em fer me. But...I need 'em. I'm allergic ta a common mold, meh wrist is te reason fer te pain killehs, an' see t'is?" She held up her exposed cut on her hand. "I fergot ta take me anti-depressants an' sliced mehself. I need te pills."

"I'm sure this can awl be worked out. Lewk, 'ow 'bout I make yew a 'ot breakfast?" Louise gestured to a chair at the kitchen table. Cyan stared at it for a moment before giving in. Why starve? Anyone could cook a hot breakfast, that didn't mean they would win her over. Still only clad in her slightly-stretched pajamas, she sank into the chair and waited patiently. "So, yer information file we've been given says yer name is Aishling-"

She was interrupted by a sudden crash. Cyan's hands clutched the sides of the table after knocking one of the chairs over. Her eyes were filled with a fiery rage that almost stung. She sealed her lids, blocking the blazing orbs from sight, and began breathing deeply. Samson, who had gone upstairs, returned to see what the commotion was."Please...fer te love o' God an' fer yer well-bein'...do not cawl me tha'."

"Okay..." Louise let out her held breath. That was definitely not the response she was expecting. This child was something else. "Wot do we cawl yew?"

"Cyan...only Cyan, nuffink else."

"Cyan?" said Samson. "Well, ih makes sense. Yew name yerself?"

She nodded, still keeping her eyes shut. "Yes...I 'ad ta. Tha' otheh name...ih sparks certain 'fings in meh soul. Not awl te time...but most times. I 'ad ta abandon meh name. I 'ad ta become someone else."

Samson sat in the chair opposite of her. He could look right at her, but still be out of her reach if this turned violent. "Why did yew 'ave ta become someone else?"

A shudder passed through the girl's frame. Should she tell them? They probably wouldn't believe her tale. No...her father did this to her, that was the case in their minds. This story veered off of that version. But there was still a chance she'd be believed. And maybe, just maybe, they could work all together on returning her home. "I'll tell yew. I'll tell yew a story o' survival. Though tha' may appear oveh-te-top at te moment, but yew'll see. Ih started te day meh mum died..."

* * *

><p><strong>Flashback<strong>

The Care Center had just gotten word of what had taken place. A terrible drunk-driving accident had taken the mother's life and left her six-year old all alone. No other relatives could be contacted, and when contact would be finally made in the future, no one would come to claim her. The girl was without a family and she had one place to go.

One boy had heard the news from the office. He was always very sneaky. So he passed the word along that someone new was coming and, unlike many of them, she had actually come from a family. That family was gone now. The hazing would start as soon as she arrived. They had to see what her demeanor was. Would she be a top-dog, or get stepped on all the time?

Little faces crowded the windows. Children sat or stepped on others to get their view as the fancy car pulled into the long driveway. Those who were outside playing on the swing-set suddenly stopped, pretending to be surprised despite already being informed of the new arrival. A tall man wearing a suit stepped out first. He went to the back door of the car and opened it.

The whole child population took a breath as the new arrival stepped out. She was little and wore a cardigan jumper that looked hand-made, as if by a loving parent. The children in the front yard got the best view. Vivid, shocking blue hair sprouted from the girl's skull, slowly changing to a greenish hue and finally slight blonde at the roots. She marched with her driver into the building, not even glancing around at what was to be her new home.

All the children who had been crowded in the windows descended to the downstairs office. Quiet scuffles resulted in the victors pressed against the door to hear about the new girl. Those who lost didn't really mind, they'd be filled in later on the situation. Muffled voices spoke from within the room.

"Can yew tell 'em yer name?"

Silence.

The hushed conversation ensued. The children strained their ears to listen in. The sneaky boy pushed his way to the front. Several quiet voices cried out in objection. They were completely silenced by the older children who willingly let him through. He had a way of finding things out before they could be announced. But, unknown to them, he had already taken a strange shine to this girl.

"Wot'cha say, Sterlin'?" one of the older girls asked.

The sneaky boy, Sterling, narrowed his eyes as he listened. "Very quiet. Somethin'...'bout... alcohol. Must be 'bout the accident. I 'ear the Miss an' who must be tha' man, but the girl won' speak. They're encouragin' 'er ta, but she won'. Wait, chair scrapin'. Scatter!" They all disappeared before the door was opened.

"Well, this is indeed very tragic, but don' worry Aishling. Things will get better." The Miss, as she was commonly referred to, was a very nice woman. She used to be a nurse before the chemicals gave her fainting spells. So here she was. She ran the center with several helpers about.

Aishling was escorted down the main hallway. The new children were always given their own room until they felt comfortable enough to be housed with the others. Unless they had abandonment issues, then they were put directly into shared housing. As the girl and the Miss went past his hiding place under the stairs, Sterling was shocked to see ocean blue eyes filled with unbridled rage glance directly at him. He felt his chest seize up and cramp even after Aishling was upstairs. Never in his life had he seen such a look of vehemence on a child and he had known very many children.

The others tried to go about their day, sneaking little peeks at the firmly shut door of the new girl. She never emerged, not even for supper. Two helpers were sent up two separate times to tell her, but she never came down. Not determined to let the poor thing starve, the Miss picked one of the children to take a plate to her.

Sterling wasn't sure how the task fell to him. Maybe it was because he was downing his juice at the moment the question was asked and the Miss took it as volunteering. He didn't want anything to do with that girl. That look was burned into his eight-year old mind and it sent shivers through his system. Whatever she was angry about, he didn't want to become a part of it.

" 'Ello?" he timidly knocked on the door. If the others knew he was afraid of someone smaller and younger than him, he'd never hear the end of it. No one responded, so he pressed his acute ear against the wood of the door. There was something inside. It was music. Curious, but still cautious, he slowly opened the door.

The room was only fit for one inhabitant. A bed was crammed in the corner and that was where Aishling sat. She had a small boombox in her lap, the music streaming from its speakers. The song it was playing appeared to end, but then the next one started. Cruel sounding laughter filled the room. The track was re-started. The laughter echoed once more.

Re-start.

Laughter.

Re-start.

Laughter.

"It sounds like they're laughin' at me." Sterling almost dropped the plate when he heard her speak. He'd been so focused on the hypnotic laughter and completely forgot about the other resident in the room. "I jus' don't get it," she continued. She stopped pressing the re-start button and allowed the song to start truly playing.

"Feel good."

The boombox was shoved off the bed and smashed into the floor. Sterling squeaked and almost wet his pants. The song now came out warped from the fall but Aishling made no move toward it. Sterling carefully crossed the room, keeping a constant watch on her. He set the plate on the bed and sat on the floor to see the boombox. He smacked it forcefully, fixing whatever was wrong with.

"Windmill, windmill, for the land. Turn forever, hand in hand."

Sterling had seen windmills before, but had never thought someone could write a song about them. They weren't a very exciting topic, windmills.

"Love forever, love is free. Let's turn forever, you and me. Windmill, windmill, for the land, is everybody in?"

It sounded like such a soothing song and Sterling slowly felt himself relax even in Aishling's presence. Then the aspect seemed to change. Quick lyrics passed through his clever ears that left him very confused to what this song was trying to say.

"Gonna bite the dust, can't fight with us. With your sound, you kill the Inc."

He continued to listened until the second run of the chorus came up. There was nothing else here, it was just him and the music. The song was entrancing. It was unlike anything he'd ever heard before and he liked it. He liked it a lot. As the song ended as it started, with laughter, he waited for the next one to begin. He never got the chance.

Aishling left out a shriek, terrifying him enough that the boombox flew out of his grasp. "You enjoy the music! That man has no right ta be enjoyed! Why should he be loved? Why at all? He did this ta me! Go away!" The boy leapt to his feet and rushed out. He paused momentarily, still so captivated by what he had heard.

"Who are they?" he turned and asked. He had to know! His question was answered with the CD cover directed into his ribs. He gasped and fell to the floor, moving his legs just in time for the door to be slammed shut. Sterling rolled onto his back, clutching the area that had been struck with the sharp corner. He tenderly lifted his shirt, finding a nice hole formed and blood leaking out. Despite the pain it had caused him, he reached out to take the case. "Gorillaz?"

He didn't tell anyone what happened. He didn't even know if the plate made it back downstairs. He had only the case, but he wanted the music itself and only Aishling had it. She appeared to despise it with a white-hot intensity, so he figured she'd give it up no problem. But every time he saw her and tried to bring it up, she'd fix a glare that immediately shut him up.

"Windmill, windmill, for the land. Turn forever, hand in hand," he whispered those words every night. How he longed to know the rest! But it was not meant to be. He wasn't supposed to know.

Days passed, and Aishling wasn't making any progress in moving into the shared housing. Sterling was the only child who was willing to interact with her and it was only to learn more about the pseudo-weapon she'd used to pierce a hole in his chest. She didn't want to play with others, she wanted to be alone. The children eventually cast her out altogether. She'd chosen that path and now she was stuck on it. They pulled her blue hair, they tripped her in the halls, they pushed her off the playground equipment, no one wanted to be her buddy when a group got to go into town, and they mocked her accent.

Her speech was what confused them the most. It wasn't an accent they had heard before. The Miss eventually placed it as Irish, stating that Aishling's last name 'Connell' also pointed toward this being true. It came as a huge surprise one day when the Irish accent disappeared. Aishling started speaking Cockney and did so with a fervor. Sterling was the only one to question her on this change.

" 'Cause ih makes me sound more like _'im__,_" was her response. "I wont 'im ta know wot I am when I finally meet 'im."

No one knew who 'he' was and why she needed to sound like him. But as the rhythm of the accent caught on, Aishling copied it perfectly and once showed off by switching back and forth between them. When the time passed that people cared, she stuck to the Cockney accent, completely dropping the Irish dialect.

Then came the biggest change of all. She stopped answering to her name. Whenever someone called to her, she responded by saying her name was 'Cyan'. None of the children had ever tried to change their names before and this confused them greatly. The helpers would have none of it and continued to talk to her using her real name. When they still refused to after all the children had eventually accepted it, she started having violent fits. Screams filled the building for days until everyone conceded.

She was Cyan now.

**End Flashback**

* * *

><p>"Yew 'urt tha' boy," said Louise. She did so with little movement, but Cyan still noticed her backing away. "Why wewd yew do tha'?"<p>

"I don' know," the girl shrugged. "I don' know why I do a lot o' 'fings. But do yew see wot I escaped from? An' tha' isn' even te worst part. Tha' wos back when te 'elpers were nice ta me. 'Ave I enlightened yew at awl?"

Samson exhaled a held breath. He twiddled his fingers, staring into the table. "Tha's certainly a tale. But ih's not over, correct?"

"Not even close. But te rest will wait till lateh, unless ya wont a panic attack tha'll 'ave me flopping awl oveh te floor. Maybe I'll tell ya 'ow t'ose started." She pushed her chair back. "Where's meh room?" She locked herself in to ensure no interruptions. Her heart was racing from recalling everything from her past. She could see the flashes of several hundred cameras, the stabbing fear, the sudden halt that ultimately led to her mother's death.

"I..." she clutched her chest, her lungs aching for air that wasn't being supplied. "I...I need 'elp! 'Elp! Someone!" Her fingers dug through her shirt, feeling the shape of the Evangelist charm. She yanked the cord over her head and threw the necklace to the floor. "Vangy!" she flung herself upon the white-robed being. "I wont ta go 'ome. I wont meh da'! I...I can' deal wiff t'is. I need 'elp!"

The Evangelist listened to her mistress pouring out her heart. Cyan wasn't going to last here. She would fall into a pattern of panic attacks and eventually kill herself. None of her things were here to keep her calm. No incense sticks, nothing to use to meditate. She never actually used pills to control her disorder. She needed comfort from those she was familiar with. And Evangelist could help her.

The room vanished into blinding white, forcing Cyan to shut her eyes. The roar of wind filled her ears, encouraging her to open her eyes and see where she was. As she did so, she was greeted by soft, green grass and the groaning of windmill blades. They were on Slowboat.

"Hey there!" Gabriel Winter, with his blue hair at a darker tint and bright green eyes, eagerly greeted the two arrivals. "Nice to see ya pop in once in a while. We've been summoned, so you must need us." There they were. Charlie Moss, Annalise Robins, and Thomas Carver, all earnestly waiting for their sister.

"I'm not dead, am I?" was the first thing that came to mind.

"Nope," said Annalise. "But we 'ave been summoned from our places ta come 'ere. Fill us in, if yew wewd." The siblings sank down into the grass, lying on bellies and backs in comfortable positions as Cyan recounted the tale of her intense need to return here for the support of her dead siblings.

"Wow, the livin' world's gone crazy," said Charlie. "Glad we got out while we cewd. Listen Cy," he rolled onto his stomach to face his sister, "they ain' gonna listen or believe yeh. Yer jus' a kid. They're gonna think tha' ev'rythin' yew do is a result o' the supposed abuse yew suffered at the 'and o' our father. They're gonna make excuses fer yew."

"I don' wont excuses, t'ey shewdn' do ih in te firs' place."

"They shewdn', so yew really need ta show 'em some good stuff."

"Wot's tha' supposed ta mean?" asked Thomas.

"I see," Annalise spoke up, "yew jus' need ta go above an' beyond. If they think yer messed up enough, they'll take yew ta tha' therapist. Wewd someone keep repeatin' the same wild an' unbelievable story, even if they didn' get results? Either they're mental, or they're tellin' the truth. We awl know which one yew are."

"We're really knowledgeable 'bout t'is kinda stuff," Cyan realized.

"Death really opens yer eyes," said Thomas.

* * *

><p>Ferdinand's barking alerted the occupants of the house that they had early morning visitors. Suspecting they were just more mourners, they let it be. But Murdoc could only take so much of the frantic pounding on the front door. Groaning, he dragged his lazy bones off the couch, his bed these past few days, and prepared to blow the ear drums of whoever it was that would bother them this early.<p>

"Murdoc!" Joel and Primrose piled past him and into the house. They raced around, screaming their father's name and the names of the other family members. Noodle appeared on the second floor balcony in an instant, rushing down the staircase to console the frantic children.

Primrose's parents and Joel's mother appeared in the doorway as well, inviting themselves in so Murdoc could slam the door shut. Russel came up from the basement to help calm the two down, but all they continued to do was scream for their father. When it became too much, Murdoc went upstairs himself and dragged the depressed blunette down forcefully.

"Oh Stuart," said Primrose's mother, "we are so sorry ta 'ear wot 'appened. This is...ih's 'orrible! We are be'ind yew awl the way."

"Dad...is ih true?" Joel asked. "Please tell me Cy's still 'ere."

2D looked down at his two other bastard offspring. His dents were completely ringed in darkness, giving him a most unsettling look. He was unclean, unshaven, and stank of alcohol. And in all honesty, he hadn't been much of a help preparing for the court date. "Ih's true...Cy's gone."

"They 'ave no right," said Joel's mother. She still wasn't really on good terms with 2D, but even she found this situation extremely horrible. There was one thing she was positive on; 2D loved, no, _adored _his children, and to have one of them taken away was like losing a piece of his soul.

"We're doin' everythin' we can to prepare fo' the court hearin'," said Russel. "But all we can really do is present evidence o' the truth. Whether it's believed or not is up to the judge."

"Wot kinda idiot wewd think yew abuse yer kids?" said Primrose's father.

"Some bird who only saw 'em once at the lake," Murdoc explained. "Saw the runt's scars an' assumed the worst."

"Wot kinda world is t'is where good people lose t'eir kids 'cause o' wot othehs did ta 'em?" 2D mumbled. "I feel so 'ollow." As the others suddenly went off into game plans, he was only one to glance up and see Rory hanging on to the banister. Despite the distance, 2D could see the cogs working in his young son's mind. He had finally figured it out. Cyan was gone and there was a good chance she wouldn't be coming back.

2D climbed the stairs before Rory could start crying. The toddler was lifted into his father's arms just as the sobs grew loud enough for the others to hear, but they were muffled against the fabric of 2D's shirt. 2D loved all his children dearly. He didn't favor one over the others, didn't love one less than the others, yet not one of them could replace any of their siblings. There was only them. It was them or no one. One child less and it was a stab to the heart.

Joel's mother and Primrose's parents took up a room at the Northridge Hotel, allowing the two to remain at the house. The brother and sister supplied other photos and even printed messages from Cyan that portrayed a healthy and happy life in this home. But that was what Murdoc had spoken out against. None of them had any mentioning of Cyan's life _before _coming here. No evidence that others were responsible for her scars.

* * *

><p>"I wondeh when people start fergettin' te dead?"<p>

Cyan sat hunched over on her carpet, the Evangelist charm cupped in her hands. She liked to talk to it, unaware if her guardian could actually hear her as the charm or not. It didn't matter, she just liked to talk with something she was familiar with. She heard her foster parents' whispering about schizophrenia and that sort of stuff. She was essentially talking to herself and responding.

It wasn't the first time she'd been declared insane. She learned to ignore it. Ignore the whispers, the stares, and everything that bothered her. They could talk all they wanted, she didn't care. She already had it planned out if the court hearing didn't go well. She'd run away, run back to Valleyridge. If they found her and took her away again, she'd return. They could take her to another continent, she didn't care! She would come back.

"I wondeh when people will ferget me?"

She was small, she was fragile-looking, but she was hardy. No one saw that final side of her. She was just some pale sickly child that looked as though she'd run up a hospital bill that was worth more than adopting her. There were only a few times that she genuinely wanted a family to take her, but they never did.

"Who remembers te fergotten souls?"

* * *

><p><strong>Flashback<strong>

Sterling, from his trusty hiding place under the stairs watched as a scene unfolded before his eyes. A boy, looking to be almost ready to enter teen-hood, was escorted by with a bloody nose. Then another caretaker came by with Cyan. The girl wasn't fighting the tight grasp that was on her arm, despite it surely leaving a red mark, maybe even a bruise. The boy was taken into the kitchen for treatment, the girl, straight into the Miss's office.

"Never learns," Sterling casually remarked to no one. He crept out from his hiding place and to the front door. The other children were just starting to play once more, but there was no hiding the spray of blood on the gravel rocks and a particularly larger sized rock. There was no doubt that it had been used as a useful weapon in what was only likely as a defense.

He knew the most about Cyan and even that wasn't much. But he did know that she didn't attack. The hole in his chest was the only case of an unprovoked blow and he passed it off as her fear of first arriving here, even though he'd seen none in her eyes. Everything else that had happened since then had been bullying and defending. But even he didn't stick up for her.

A shrill scream rattled his spine. He craned his neck around to see Cyan shoved into the closet and the door locked tightly. The children were never hit as punishments. They lost outside and television privileges, and then there was time-out. Usually spent on a chair in the corner, Cyan's had to be taken to the next level. She always escaped and ran off into the trees. Sometimes she even climbed the trees and it took a ladder to get her down. So her punishments went up a level.

The door thumped from little fists banging on the wood. Cyan always escaped, so her time-outs were spent in the closet. After a while, it sounded like pure torture. She screamed and cried and begged to be let out, but she never did anything different in her daily life. She still hurt children and since none of them spoke the truth, they were taken as random acts of cruelty. She never spoke differently and was always locked away.

"Wot's yer game?" Sterling whispered under the door. The shrieks stopped and there was the thump as she dropped to her knees as well.

"Why don'chu leave me alone?"

"I will when yew give me tha' disc."

"Yew'll neveh 'ave ih."

Sterling pulled out the little booklet from inside the disc case from his pocket. Crumpled and wrinkled, he still could easily make out the four faces in each box. "This man...'e kinda lewks like yew. Blue 'air. Is tha' why-"

"Yew know nuffink! Go away!"

Once again shot down from his chance to hear that wonderful music, Sterling went to the front porch and sat on the step, the booklet held in his palm. He had read the names of the songs over and over until they were memorized, but he needed to hear the songs themselves. He was so engrossed, he didn't notice two things. First, Cyan, freshly released from the closet, had halted to stand behind him. Second, a car pulled up.

The door slamming was what finally pulled his head up. A couple got out from the car, drawing the attention of every child. The man and woman waved cheerfully at the overjoyed children. As they stepped into the house, they were stopped by a sudden glance at Cyan.

" 'Ow old are yew, li'le one?"

Cyan looked up at them, betraying no emotion that she felt, if any at all. "I'm seven." The look of shock on their faces couldn't be masked. They looked at each other before going inside. As soon as the door to the Miss's office was shut, everyone stampeded inside to listen in. Someone was going to get a new home.

Sterling quickly took his normal place as the listener. The muffled voices were too hard to detect and he knew that was being done on purpose. The Miss knew he was listening and was doing her best to make sure he and the children learned nothing. But the moment he caught Cyan's description, he knew something as really up. "Scatter!"

When the couple was led downstairs to the basement, the children finally realized something important was taking place. They had to figure it out at any cost. That was still left to Sterling. The five strongest pullers lowered him by a rope tied around his ankles down the laundry chute. He couldn't help but look down, noticing there was no basket to catch him just in case, only the concrete floor.

"I'm not sure yew shewd be askin' about 'er." The Miss!

"Why? Is ih 'cause she's so smawl?"

"No...yew see, she's actually pretty violent. Broke a child's nose right b'fore yew arrived. We don' know why she's this way, ih's awlways unprovoked."

"Yew don' think therapy cewd fix ih?"

" 'Er mother died in a drunk drivin' accident an' we don' know 'er father. 'Er grandparents didn' wont 'er, no family member did. We're not sure why she does these things, she jus'...does. Maybe yew shewd lewk at other children."

When they went back up the stairs, Sterling lifted himself slightly and let go, the signal for him to be pulled back up. As he slowly inched upward, there was a sudden yell and he plummeted downward. All he could think of was his life ending as his head came closer and closer to the concrete floor. A sharp jerk slammed his body against the side of the chute. He was hauled up and out of the chute in an instant.

"Wot 'appened?" he gasped.

None of them answered, but they all turned as one to look at Cyan. She had her hands pressed to her mouth, her eyes sealed shut in pain. When her hands lowered, he saw angry rope burns and cuts. The pullers must have lost their grip, but Cyan saved him. She'd stopped the descent and gave the others a chance to grab a hold again. But why would she do that? He was nothing to her.

_Why?_

**End Flashback**

* * *

><p>She remembered that boy. She remembered what she did. She could remember everything about him, his looks, his voice, but not his name. She remembered <em>him <em>and that was what mattered. Why did she remember him? Why did it matter? Because he was the only one that even slightly cared at the time. She hurt him, but he never did anything bad to her.

_Who remembers the forgotten souls?_

"I do."

* * *

><p>When the fateful day finally came around, Noodle physically forced 2D to bathe and dress. In that time that he was being scrubbed to raw skin, he realized how useless he'd been during the preparation. He was the patriarch of this family and had fallen as low as it goes. How pathetic.<p>

"I'm sorry, love."

"I understand," Noodle did up his tie since he never learned how. "You feel lost without her. I felt hollow after El Manana, there's nothing in the world that compares to my boys. No one could ever replace your children. But you know what? We're getting her back."

"Noodle?" Cyborg peeked around the bedroom door. "I cannot find Murdoc."

"You tried everywhere?"

"Yes, we did," Joel and Primrose walked in after the robot. Everyone was dressed up in their nice clothes. They had to be presentable in every sense. " 'E ain' 'ere."

"I do not remember seeing him at all this morning," said Cyborg. "He has disappeared."

2D picked up his cell phone sitting on the nightstand. The other line rang several times, each one a dead echo in his head. Finally, another voice answered. "Wot d'ya wont?"

"Where are ya?"

"I'm on a secret mission. I'll be back in time."

"But where are yew specifically?"

"None o' yer business faceache!" Then, he continued in a quieter voice, "Yeh got nothin' ta worry about. I'm savin' the runt by any cost." The feed cut out.

"Muhdoc may be kidnappin' Cy," 2D announced.

* * *

><p>With a pair of sharp scissors in her hand, Cyan planned her next move. Today was the day. By the end of the day, she'd either be back here or safe at home. She had to think carefully on what to do. Ever since her conversations with the Evangelist charm, Louise and Samson were talking about sending her to a therapist before the actual court date. Most likely to make sure she was mentally stable enough to actually go to court.<p>

She had to go to that therapist. She needed as many people as possible to know her story. The therapist would very likely be at the court hearing as well, revealing whatever findings they'd discovered while talking with her. Today was the day and her last chance to be sent there. This was her final desperate act.

Her hair had grown considerably since that fateful Bonfire Night. Though she'd strived to keep it short, it had gone over her normal limit. It almost reached her shoulders now and the longer locks had merged with the rest. She was starting to look like Primrose. Grabbing a handful of hair and pulling it slightly, she closed the blades and neatly sliced it off. The handful was tossed into the sink.

She looked down at it, appreciating the fine and lovely color she had hated a lifetime ago. She felt an ache in her chest from doing this, but this act was abnormal and bound to catch her foster parents' attention. She grabbed a hunk near her forehead and cut it off. Soon odd tufts were all over her head as handful after handful was tossed into the sink. She started a rhythm in it. Grab, slice, throw.

"Oh my God!" Louise's shout brought Cyan back to reality. A sadistic grin was plastered on the teen's face, combined with the choppy new hair style and the sharp scissors still being clipped repeatedly and you have a child in desperate need of a therapist.

"So, tell me wot seems ta be the problem." Cyan had never been to therapy before, but instantly decided she didn't like it. Sporting her new hair cut, she was quite the sight.

"Yew really wanna know?" she sat opposite the man on a couch. "Okay, let's start at te beginnin'. I wos pulled out o' a lovin' 'ome an' put in fosteh care! I wos kidnapped, taken against meh will, meh family's pro'lly devastated."

The therapist exhaled slowly, reviewing the notes he'd been given on the case. "Accordin' ta these, yew were abused in yer old 'ome."

"T'ey're lyin'! I 'ad a great life. Meh da' wewd neveh lay a 'and on me wiff bad intentions. Te scars tha' are most likely told in detail in tha' paper yer tryin' ta 'ide were caused by otheh people. Meh family loves me dearly, even Misteh Muhdoc, 'fough 'e neveh admits ih."

"If wot yew say is true, then tell me the story. Awl o' ih. Ev'ry single one o' yer scars an' 'ow yew came ta be with yer family."

* * *

><p><strong>Flashback<strong>

Sterling looked around to see if anyone was watching before extracting the food wrapped in a napkin from under his shirt. Cyan had been locked away without dinner...again. It was no surprise she wasn't growing. The punishments of the closet barely took their toll in her attitude and things had become a bit more violent. Sterling wasn't sure if it was meant to go that way.

After a serious fight that had both Cyan and her taunter in equal bad shape, the whole world seemed to crash down. Perry, one of the newer caretakers, tried his best to break up the tussle, but Cyan refused to release her hold on the other child. He tried his best, but Perry couldn't separate the two. Then it happened. His hand closed into a fist and he punched her in the jaw. The little girl let go immediately, sprawling in the gravel driveway.

No one said anything about what they had seen. Another caretaker, Marian, simply shook her head in disgust, not for Perry, but for Cyan. "Little bitch."

And that was how things were now. Cyan's punishments went violent, the only way that appeared to work in any sense. Sterling woke up some nights to hear some of the younger children crying over what they had seen happen to her. But they didn't care about her, only about the horrors that were capable of being afflicted on them. It was a scary thought.

" 'Ello?" Sterling whispered softly under the door of the single room. "Please answer." She didn't and he didn't expect her to. So he left the stolen food at the door and went away, his sharp ears catching the sounds of a door opening and shutting. In all reality, he was all she had to any degree. He fed her, he left out medicine for her injuries, and he kept track of everything happening to her. It was stored in a notebook he kept under his pillow.

Cyan began her personal trials and he knew exactly what she was testing. She was going to leave. Every day, she crept out into the trees, marking pathways and such until she was forcibly dragged back to the house. She was escaping. He didn't know what to feel about it. He knew in his heart that she didn't belong here. She needed to leave.

It finally happened after several tries that resulted in some of the worst beatings he'd seen so far. She never gave up and he had to give her props to that. He didn't know what awakened him from his sleep, but he did wake up. Instinctively grabbing his notebook, he crept down to the single room she had stayed in for the entire duration. It was empty.

He had been expecting that. But what he didn't expect to see was what she left behind. The boombox sat on the bed and a CD rested on top of it. Could it be? Did she leave him a parting gift? He picked up both and rushed downstairs. Voices, the sounds of shoes being pulled on. Yes, she was gone and they were going after her.

It seemed his whole life was leading up to this moment. It was time he became a hero, even if it was to a small girl who no one liked. He slipped outside and managed to squeeze under the porch. He put in the CD, flipped to the song, and waited. As soon as he heard the door above him open, he pressed play and scrambled out.

The sinister laughter of Feel Good Inc. surrounded them, confusing the chasers until they saw a shape disappear into the trees. What they didn't know was that they were chasing Sterling, not Cyan. By the time he was caught and taken back, he could only hope that she had made it. The group went off into the trees to chase her down.

_Good luck Cyan, wherever yew go._

**End Flashback**

* * *

><p>The therapist didn't respond after she finished, he only wrote down his thoughts on his papers. That story was too vivid to be false but it was because it was so vivid he was finding trouble in believing it. If it was so, this girl had certainly been through a lot. "I think we're done. I'll see yew in a bit."<p>

"So yew are goin' ta te court 'earin'."

"Tha' wos yer plan awl along, wos ih not?"

* * *

><p>The room was stuffy and smelled like floor polish. Primrose was rebuked when she tried to open the window. Embarrassed and a little frightened, she sank down next to her parents. The whole group was there, minus Murdoc who still hadn't shown. All they were waiting on was the prosecutor and the object of this hearing.<p>

"Oh dear Lord," Noodle said when Cyan was finally escorted into the room. "What did they do to you?"

"Relax Noods," the teen jumped into her seat, "I did t'is."

The judge cleared his throat and extracted a paper from the many piles. "This court is cawled inta session on the custody case o' Aishling Connel-Pot."

"Cyan, please sir," she interrupted. "Yew'll give me a 'eart attack."

"Very well, prosecutor."

Sara Carver stood up. "Yer 'Onor, this child 'as been subjected ta 'orrible abuse. She is covered in scars an' bruises whose whereabouts 'ave not been explained."

"I told yew!" Cyan cut in. "I got 'em b'fore I came ta live wiff Da'!"

"Please," said the judge. "Yew will get yer chance ta speak." He gestured for Sara to continue, but she stepped back.

"Okay," Cyan jumped up and rushed in front of the judge, stretching her body up to be as close to the man as she could. "I will tell yew t'is, I 'ad a wonderhful life in a li'le town wiff a lovin' family tha' catered ta meh ev'ry need, an' t'is lady swoops outta nowhere an' steals me away! T'ese scars," she pulled at her shirt collar to show off the shoulder scar, "were awl caused by otheh people."

"Ih's true!" Joel shouted before being restrained by Russel and Cyborg.

"Please be quiet," said the judge.

"But I-*umph* 'ave a right ta speak ta save meh sister!"

"Sister?" the judge leaned back into his seat. "Miss Connel-Pot is yer sister?" He turned his attention directly to 2D. "Exactly 'ow many children do yew 'ave?"

"I'm not gonna lie," the blunette stood up, "I messed around a lot in meh youth. I made plenty o' mistakes, but t'ese kids weren' any. I 'ad eight children, yer 'Onor, but unfortunate events took te lives o' four. But I will tell yew t'is, I gladly 'frew mehself inta 'arm's way ta ensure te lives o' te othehs. Meh daughters Cyan an' Primrose an' meh sons Joel an' Rory."

"Where are these children an' do yew 'ave custody over 'em?"

"Joel an' Rosie visit, but live wiff t'eir otheh families most times. Rory is te only legitimate child, born between me an' meh wife Noodle. An' tha' woman," he pointed to Sara, "threatened ta take 'im away. I love awl meh kids an' jus' wont meh li'le girl back."

The judge picked up another sheet of paper. "I 'ave reviewed the photo gallery yew've collected. This certainly appears ta be a lovin' family; 'owever, yew 'ave produced no evidence tha' Miss Connell-Pot's injuries were not caused under yer supervision."

"Stop b'fore yew say anythin' else!" That familiar rasp echoed from the back of the room. A wave of calmness washed over the family upon hearing it.

"Thank God," Noodle whispered as Murdoc appeared at the large doors to the court. She didn't know what he was going to do, but was relieved he had arrived. "Murdoc, I could kiss you."

"An' who might yew be?" the judge asked.

"I 'appen ta be this girl's godfather, but tha' fact aside, I 'ave arrived ta set yer mind straight about wot exactly 'as taken place in this girl's life. I, 'owever, will not produce the information." He reached behind the door and yanked a person into view. He looked to be fifteen at least, chestnut brown hair messily combed over. He wore some decent looking clothing for the occasion, but they still looked old and worn. "May I introduce an orphan who lived in the very 'ome tha' the r- Cyan lived in."

"Wait," Noodle stood up, trying to get a good look at the teen as he walked toward the judge. "I know you. You're that boy we met at the orphanage, the one who took us to Cyan. You called her crazy!"

"Tha's been meh job fer a long time, ma'am, an' certain parts 'ad ta be played ta ensure Cyan stayed safe," he replied softly. "Yer 'Onor," he nodded to the judge, "meh name is Sterlin' an' I 'ave been brought 'ere ta present vital information on Cyan's past." The girl in question only stared dumbly at this apparition from her past. He winked at her and placed a worn notebook before the judge. "Ev'ry date in there is the truth. Cyan, if yew wewd please be meh specimen."

"April 16, 2010," read the judge, " 'T'day wos especially bad. Cyan chomped a kid's ear an' got 'it with a chair leg by Marian." As he said this, Sterling lifted Cyan's shirt enough to show a slight kink in her spine where said leg had struck. "September 1, 2010, 'Cyan tried ta sneak off again, Percy ripped out a chunk o' 'air when she fought comin' back'." Sterling peered through Cyan's new short locks and located the scar through the skin.

"Ih's awl there, yer 'Onor, even fer this." He pulled at her shirt collar to expose the shoulder wound. Cyan did a double-take. She hadn't received this wound at the orphanage, she got it on Plastic Beach. Why would it be in the journal? Sterling winked at her again and she felt her heart flutter. He made it up.

The judge flipped through the pages of the journal, pulling papers from the piles as he went. Finally, he waved at the door, inviting someone in. The therapist who had talked with Cyan no more than three hours ago, walked in, cool as a cucumber. "Wot can yew say about this child's condition?"

"Cyan appears ta be very intelligent fer a girl 'er age, she can recawl memories with ease. None o' 'er stories are fabricated. Ev'ry atom o' 'er body wos completely truthful as she told ev'rythin' ta me. This girl wos never mistreated in the 'ouse she'd been taken from. She is in no danger in returnin' there."

Sterling took Cyan's arm and backed away from the judge. They continued back until they stood next to Murdoc. "I did good?"

"Nice work," the Satanist whispered back.

"After reviewin' the evidence, I 'ave decided in favor o' the defendant. Miss Connel-Pot is ta be returned ta 'er family."

2D leapt over the table and gathered Cyan in his arms, squeezing her until she gasped for air. Every one crowded around to even get to touch her. Noodle decided not to kiss Murdoc, but instead hugged him tightly. He grimaced but allowed her to do it. Cyan, held above everyone's heads, couldn't help but notice Louise and Samson slowly rising to leave.

"Put me down!" she yelled. Once on her own feet, she rushed over to stop them from leaving. "Even though ih wosn' fer me, wot yew are doin' is simply wondehful. Someday, yew'll get a child who really needs yew."

"Ih wos nice ta meet yew," Louise smiled.

"Sorry I wos such a nightmare." She stepped aside to let them leave. They were good-hearted people who only wanted to do good in the world. She felt thankful to have met them, but she didn't need their help. But somewhere out there, a child did and they would have the most loving foster parents in the world. She was going home. "So...Misteh Muhdoc kidnapped yew."

After all was said and done, Cyan and Sterling sat side by side in the parking lot. The others were sorting out car rides to get out of the area and back home as soon as possible. "Yep, 'e jus' showed up one day, recognized me, an' b'fore I knew ih, I wos on meh way."

The girl stared at him. "Ih wos so long ago, but I still remember yew. 'Ow is...ev'ryone else?"

"The same, things were a li'le strange without yeh. At least in my book," he waved the notebook back in forth in front of her face. "Yew've really come far, good fer yew."

"Wot wos ih about me tha' yew cared so much?"

"I really don' know." He was quiet for a bit. "We're one in the same. Orphans left be'ind."

"I'm not technically an orphan, I'm a bastard," she reminded him.

"True, but still."

"Yer...yer gonna 'ave ta go back...aren' yew?"

"I got nowhere else ta go. Tha's where I belong, but yew belong at 'ome. So go 'ome."

"Noodle!" Cyan called out. "Can Sterlin' stay wiff us fer a bit?" A thought had passed through her mind. She couldn't abandon him, after everything he had done for her. She had a plan now. A plan for his future.

They were the same. They both came from the same home and had escaped in their own way. That house was full of children, children who slipped the minds of almost everyone. They were forgotten, like the dead. Forgotten souls who cried for a voice. That orphanage, but mostly its caretakers, were put under investigation because of what Sterling and Cyan had said. They were their voices.

* * *

><p>August had come around and Cyan celebrated turning fourteen on a warm sunny day by the lake. She didn't have to worry about strangers seeing her scars and calling child services. She was in too good of mood to worry about much at all. She was back with her family, enjoying the sunshine and water games. She only had a small group of friends, her siblings being among it, but a few days ago, she officially added another to the roster.<p>

She'd done a favor to three people and their names were Sterling, Lynn, and Danny. She looked over at the family now, their spot right next to her family's. Sterling was still adjusting, but the way he interacted with them, the way they accepted him, she could tell this was the right decision. They were made for each other. And she couldn't help but feel a sort of kinship to the teen. Her eyes were always drawn to the hole in his chest, a small dip of no skin. She had caused that. They had scars in common.

They escaped and they found where they belonged. They were more than just orphans, more than just friends, and not in _that _sort of fashion. Those two meant more to each other and to their former peers than anything. Poor, lost souls needed someone to speak for them. Sterling and Cyan were those someones and though Sterling wasn't quite aware of the new title, Cyan had dubbed him such in her mind. The titles stayed in secrecy, inside her mind, and with Evangelist if she could hear out of the charm. But the title meant a bit more to Cyan than to Sterling. After all, only one of them could speak with the living and dead.

_Seekers of the silent cries_

_and those lost along the way._

_Though not mind who lives or dies_

_only those, alone, who stray._

_Catchers of the tears we shed_

_along the bitter and broken path_

_and clean the blood that we have bled_

_on the Reaper's scythe and snath._

_Carriers of the burdens we bear_

_as the thunder growls and rolls._

_We do not fall into despair_

_the Speakers of Forgotten Souls._

* * *

><p>I guess Sterling's going to be more involved than I thought. I just couldn't leave him to go back to the orphanage, so I dug up the front desk couple at the Northridge Hotel and gave him a home. I actually have some plots he can be involved in, so maybe it's a good thing.<p>

Cyan was born in early August 2003, just as a side note. I did my best in matching the children's birthdates with other events, but I'm pulling all of that out of Rise of the Ogre. 2D returned to England November 25, 2002... that seems about right.


	41. Bonus: The Expedition

The Expedition

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>"I'm comin'!" 2D could feel a migraine coming on from listening to the doorbell be jammed repeatedly. A spasm shot through his spine as he went down each step. His brain pulsed beneath his hair. As he opened the door, not even all the way, he was almost bowled over by a quick blur.<p>

"Stuart!" Primrose's father reached out and snagged the blunette before he could fall backwards. "She awlmost gotcha good." 2D shook his head and turned to see exactly what had almost gotten him. A teenage girl, about Primrose's age, had slung her bag onto the couch and was doubling back toward the door. "Calm down, Minnie," she was sternly told. "May we come in?"

2D was sat at the kitchen table with Primrose's parents as his daughter and Minnie went outside. "So...wot's wiff te extra kid?"

"We're terribly sorry about this," said Primrose's mother, "but we...kinda 'ad no choice. Y'see, ev'ry year, the family 'as a big annual campin' trip, but this year...we're not goin' ta a camp ground. We're gonna be out in the wilderness. Ih's a park reserve," she explained when 2D's dents grew wider. "But there will be animals wanderin' about. Rosie's real nervous about ih. We told 'er she cewd take 'er friend Minnie along, tha's the girl tha' awlmost flattened yeh."

"We were 'opin'," said Primrose's father, "tha' maybe yew cewd talk ta 'er. Maybe do some fun stuff ta prepare 'er fer the trip. Show 'er ih's nothin' ta worry about."

"I can certainly set tha' up," 2D agreed.

"We 'ope yew don' mind Minnie, she's sorta...impulsive."

"We'll manage."

While the adults talked, the real action was outside. A two-on-two football game of Sterling and Cyan versus Arthur and Joel. Currently, the former orphans were kicking butt. Rory sat in the grass nearby with his toys and Ferdinand. Every time a score was made, he would clap and cheer, no matter which side it was that scored. He didn't understand much about the game.

" 'Ey now!" Sterling punted the ball just as the shout went out. It sailed by, everyone's attention drawn onto the new arrivals, and ended up hitting Joel in the head and grounding him. Minnie, clad in her ripped jeans and tank top, with the tips of her blond hair dyed pink, and a small stud in the upper cartilage of her ear, was certainly a sight to behold. "So yer the lot I've 'eard so much about."

"Depends on who's askin'," said Cyan.

"Name's Minnie, I'm Forget-me-not's friend."

"Ah, we've 'eard about yew too. I'm Cyan, tha's Art, Sterlin', Rory oveh t'ere, an' Joel."

" 'Ey!" Joel sat up, drawing their attention. "I jus' got knocked out from a football an' no one cared?"

"Yer fine."

"This time!" He brushed the dirt off of the seat of his pants. "Why are yew 'ere? Dad never said anythin' 'bout bringin' friends this vi-zit-tae-shun."

Noodle appeared in the run, responding to Joel's cry. She looked relived when everyone appeared okay, despite Joel's grumbling and dirty pants. As long as he wasn't bleeding out of every orifice, she didn't see a reason to worry. "Everything okay?" She did a double-take as soon as the words left her mouth. There was one too many children here. "Who are you?"

"Minnie," the girl replied simply. She chewed on a strand of her pink-tipped hair, looking the woman up and down as Noodle did the same. "I'm still tryin' ta figure this awl out."

"But I explained ih awl b'fore we got 'ere," Primrose mumbled. She raised her voice to go through the explanation in what they could easily realize was not the first time or even second time. "There's meh biological dad, who yew tackled at the door, this is Noodle, 'is wife. Cy's the oldest siblin', then Joel, then me, then Rory, who is Dad an' Noodle's legitimate child. Arthur lives right down the 'ill an' Sterlin' is newly adopted an' lives in town. Mister Murdoc lives in the Winnebago 'round the side o' the garage, Russel's in the basement, an' Cyborg's in the garage." Minnie kept nodding her head throughout the whole reiteration, but there was something in her expression that told the others that it wasn't sticking.

"Mmm hmm, yeah, got ih. Yew gotta dog!" She rushed forward and dropped to her knees to caress the slobbering face of Ferdinand. " 'Ello big puppy! Oh aren'chu jus' the cutest thing? Oh yes yew are!"

Cyan watched this action with reserved eyes, but anyone who could enjoy their beloved bull mastiff couldn't be all bad. "So..yer gonna stay wiff us. I guess yew shewd- stop whinin' oveh t'ere!" she scolded Joel who was still carrying on. "Jeez, ya airy-fairy, even Rory didn' cry when 'e banged 'is 'ead on the last step o' te stairs. Now back ta yew," she turned her attention to Minnie, "...I fergot wot I wos gonna say."

" 'Ey gang," 2D stepped out from the run after seeing Primrose's parents off. "We've actually got plans t'is weekend. Summeh's gonna end wiff fun!"

"But I thought we already went on vacation," Noodle's body visibly tensed up at the thought of taking the family and a child they weren't responsible for away on another gray-hair-inducing adventure. "Stuart, you can't possibly-"

"Now-now love, ih won' be like t'ose otheh times. Rosie an' Minnie are goin' on a campin' trip, but ih's gonna be in a wildlife park."

"Where we'll be eaten alive!" the girl cried.

"But yer parents 'ave asked me ta prepare yew."

"What are we doing?" Noodle asked cautiously.

"Nuffink bad," 2D assured her, "we'll jus' 'ave a li'le camp-out in te backyard. Or is tha' too terrifyin' fer ya?" He grinned widely at her, receiving the light and playful smack to the head without question. "Ih'll be fun. We can stay up an' roast marshmallows, tell ghosts stories-"

"An' do somethin' fun?" Minnie said in an annoyed tone that surprised them. "C'mon, tha's kids' stuff!"

"No mean ta offend," Arthur spoke up, "but we are kids. An' besides, we can' do nothin' too scary, we got Rory." The little boy looked up at the sound of his name. He couldn't quite figure out what was being said about himself, but judging by how annoyed the pink-haired girl looked, it wasn't too good.

Noodle picked up her son, but Rory began to struggle. He didn't like to be picked up much anymore, or it had to at least be on his terms. She grunted from a few light kicks in the stomach before giving up and setting him down again. "He may not look it, but Rory's tough. Don't sell him short." _Especially since he survived the mini-apocalypse as an infant. _

"Can' 'e stay inside?" Minnie whined.

"We wewd neveh leave Rory out!" Cyan found the concept insulting. Her youngest sibling did get left out of some things, but he was slowly starting to integrate himself into their regular activities. That might change as the return of school was fast approaching and a majority of the daylight hours was spent away from the house.

"Wot's with the screamin'?" Murdoc came around from the side of the garage, rubbing his filthy face with a grimy hand.

"Ahh!" Minnie picked up the football and punted it right into Murdoc's face. "Oh wait...yer a person."

"Holy fuck!" the Satanist clutched his damaged face. "No shit I'm a person, yew cunt!"

"Murdoc!" Noodle shouted at the exclamation of the vulgar words.

"I jus' got 'it with a football outta butt-fuck nowhere, I'm allowed ta say some things!" He hissed as he lifted his hand away from the bruise forming on the whole left side of his head. There was even some blood dripping from his ear. "Wot the 'ell did'ja think I wos?"

"A zombie," Minnie replied simply.

"Tha's actually pretty close," 2D mumbled.

The Satanist screamed a few more cuss words into the sky before doubling back to his Winnebago to clean up the damage done to his face. The others watched him go, some interested, some slightly terrified at what had just happened. Minnie shrugged her shoulders. She wasn't discouraged in the least and 2D slowly found himself beginning to have a problem with it. This girl was like Cyan by the power of ten. Cyan was tough, but she always took in the consideration of her siblings in a situation. This girl was a major risk taker and he didn't want Primrose associating with her.

"Tha's so cool!" Even Joel was impressed at the tricks Minnie could pull off on a skateboard. All the teens now stood in the driveway, watching the pink-haired girl flip the board under her feet and everything she could think of to impress her new charges. Arthur and Cyan had set up a make-shift ramp of two boards and a cinder-block.

"Can I try?" Cyan asked when Minnie skidded to a halt in front of them.

"Ya ever been?"

"No, but ih lewks fun."

Minnie stuck the chewed strand of hair in her mouth once more, scrutinizing Cyan closely. "Yew lewk like the type. Yew cewd easily pull off skater-chick. Wot with tha' 'air an' awl. Crazy do ya got there."

Cyan narrowed her eyes and ran her fingers through her short hair. Noodle and Cyborg has managed to straiten out the odd tufts, so at least it was somewhat even. She saw no problem with it. "Gimme a go." The skateboard was traded off. There were no pads or helmet. An instant regret washed over the blunette teen, but she had been challenged, at least in her mind, and she needed to uphold her pride. One go, then hand it back.

She kept one foot firmly pressed against the pavement and tested the board with her other. It rolled easily and began to shake from her fear. She slowly lifted herself up, putting weight on the foot on the board. It started to slide out from under her and she quickly shifted to the other foot. Cyan glanced up at the others, waiting expectantly for her turn.

"Either go or don'," Minnie scoffed.

_Don' be so haughty. _Cyan exhaled slowly and stepped completely onto the board. It rolled a ways, but she didn't fall. Now for the moment of truth. She took one foot off and pushed along the pavement. The board sped up a bit. She was doing it! In her joy and in basking in the cheers of her siblings and friends, she didn't notice the downward curve of the approaching slope, or the Mako coming _up _the slope. The car horn blared loudly, causing her to leap backward. The skateboard went under the car and continued down the hill, but Cyan fell flat on the road.

The Mako screeched to a halt and Russel climbed out, frantically asking, "Cy! You still breathin'?"

The teen wheezed several times, coming down from the peak of her panic attack. She groaned loudly and rolled over, clutching the spot where her head kissed the pavement. "I'm okay...no I'm not!" She retched several times after sitting up, the movement making her instantly dizzy.

"Runt?" Murdoc was standing in the driveway, spooking the teens after materializing behind them. "Don' 'old it back, jus' let ih go."

"She's not drunk, Muds!" Russel helped Cyan to her, slowly letting her straiten up. He escorted her inside to get an ice pack and the ultimate sympathy from her father.

"Great!" Minnie complained. "Now meh skateboard's awl the way at the bottom!"

"Son o' a bitch," Murdoc, Joel, Sterling, and Arthur mumbled together, looking at one another after the words were spoken. Cyan just most likely cracked her skull and Minnie didn't even seem to care. Not only that, Primrose wasn't speaking out against her friend. The girl looked over at them and just shrugged her shoulders. What was going on?

* * *

><p>"That girl is trouble." Noodle firmly pressed the ice pack against Cyan's sore head. The teen was sat on the table, swaying back and forth. Rory climbed up on the tabletop and held the ice pack in place for his mother, freeing her hands.<p>

"Now Noodle," Cyan wheezed, "I wonted ta give ih a go. Ih wosn' Minnie's fault. Ih's like when we go ridin' at Art's. T'ere's awlways te chance tha' somefink will go wrong." The woman shook her head anyway and started heating some water for tea. Cyborg sat in one of the kitchen chairs, absentmindedly brushing her fingers across the flesh-colored patch that hid her own head injury.

"In te twenty minutes tha' she's been 'ere," 2D walked in from the laundry room, "Joel's been struck in te 'ead, Muhdoc's bleedin' out te ear, an' Cy almost got ran oveh! I feel like...she's a curse."

"Did it ever slip your mind the fact that unfortunate events follow this family?" said Cyborg. "We are a bundle of curses combined with demon companions and pacts with the devil." None of them could argue against that. Bad things did happen in varying degrees, but never so close together and at such a level. Seriously, two bleeding wounds in less than an hour.

The conversation about Minnie being a curse halted when everyone else came into the kitchen. Russel immediately went to Cyan's side to help her sore head, but he was warded off by Rory, who was happy to help all by himself. It was an awkward silence only broken by Noodle's noises in the background as she made a cup of tea for Cyan. 2D kept throwing glances at Minnie, completely convinced that she had delivered some unfortunate bane on their existence.

"So uh..." Minnie clapped her hands together, "ya need ta go ta the 'ospital?"

"I 'fink ih'll be fine," Cyan groaned in response. " S'been worse." Oh yes, it had been worse. Sterling made a point of staring right at her, a small smile pulling at the corners of his lips.

Minnie exhaled loudly. "Whoosh, thought I 'ad turned yeh inta somethin' closer ta yer dad." She turned to face a slightly horrified 2D. "No offense sir, but yer quite a bit o' work. Where's the loo?" The blunette silently pointed her to the bathroom.

"Murdoc," Noodle spoke up as soon as they heard the door seal shut, "please agree with me. No one's that rude, right?"

"A bit o' work, indeed," Joel muttered. "Rosie, why'ja do this ta us?"

The poor girl looked around at all the faces glaring in aggravated fury. She shrugged softly, flinching when Murdoc spat at her. "Wot can I do? She...I need 'er."

"Yew cewd set 'er straight on a few 'fings," said 2D. "We're yer family, love. Yew wont someone doin' t'is kinda stuff ta us?"

She rubbed her arm, glancing around at the floor, even following the path of Cyborg's pet Roomba. "I need 'er," she repeated.

* * *

><p>2D's decision of camping in the backyard didn't go quite as planned. But instead of completely dropping the idea, it was just vamped a little. A campfire in the backyard was beginning step, just to break the ice at whole idea. But when it became later, they would move their supplies to Fallridge. Russel had suggested fining a more 'wild' environment so that Primrose could adjust.<p>

"Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy marshmallows, which are practically the same thing." Noodle tossed the bag of puffy sweets to 2D, who opened it and shoveled four down with gusto. While he chewed and slobbered slightly, he passed the bag to the other occupants of the fire.

Russel speared three on his fire poker and stuck them into the vicinity of hot coals. Joel and Minnie fought over the same spot. The boy ended up getting knocked off his perch. All eyes immediately shifted to Primrose, who shrugged in response like she'd done ten times in the past two hours. She never offered an explanation as to why Minnie was this way, nor did she even defend her friend. She only said she needed her and nothing more.

"Yeh think she's a dyke?" Murdoc had suggested earlier, drawing out the rage of 2D, who struck at the Satanist with harm fully intended. "Wot? She's pro'lly jus' embarrassed ta admit ih!"

"There might be some truth in what he's saying," Noodle had said. "Think about it Stuart. She appears to be completely dependent on this girl."

"But..." 2D had thought about it, "she wewd've told us. I wewd accept 'er no matteh wot! Ih's jus'...I don' like te otheh girl. But if Rosie does...t'en I won' complain."

"Let's tell ghost stories." Back at the present moment, Russel suggested this next activity.

"Okay," Minnie reluctantly agreed, "none o' tha' toned down crap! Tell somethin' tha's reeeaaal scary. Somethin' tha'll make ya piss yer pants." Primrose pushed her folded hands between her knees and averted her eyes. Scary wasn't her forte. "I got somethin' tha'll make ya think."

"Shoot," said Arthur, poking the coals of the fire. ('Shoot' as in 'go for it') He just wanted to make sure it would stay burning. Noodle obviously agreed by putting another piece of wood in the flames.

"Okay. Yeh know 'ow some people 'ave birthmarks?" The others stopped whatever they were doing and looked at each other. Uneasiness rose in all their stomachs. What could Minnie possibly say about birthmarks that could be scary?

"I've got one," said Russel. "A light patch on my ankle. Barely stands out against the skin."

"I 'ave one on meh lower back," said Joel.

"Well, tha's good." She chuckled lightly. "Y'see, those marks are from when _They _tried ta take yew from yer parents an' replace yew with one o' Their replicas. If yew 'ave a birthmark, tha' means They failed. If yew know anyone tha' doesn' 'ave one...well, I wewdn' trust 'em." The others couldn't help but start searching along their exposed arms and legs, desperately seeking a mark they may have missed their whole life. Minnie started laughing loudly, distracting them from their search. "Yew awl can' be tha' daft! Tha's not even the scariest one I know!"

"Yes, ha-ha, very funny," Cyan muttered.

"Any o' yew wanna take a whack at ih?" They just looked at each other. "Fine then. This one's cawled 'Guardian Angel'. 'I am awlways with yew. I wos there from the time yew were born. I stood the delivery room, starin' down at yew b'fore yew cewd even open yer eyes ta see me. Yer parents, relatives, an' doctors cewdn' see me there, in the corner, watchin' yew with cloudy eyes, but I wos there from the time yew were born. An' I followed yew 'ome.'"

Rory started to whimpered lightly, causing Cyborg to quickly place a protective arm around his small body. Minnie continued, " 'I wos with yew awlways, yer constant companion. Yew played with yer toys alone while I stared from awl angles in nearby mirrors; meh matted, clotted 'air with oily sweat tha' 'ung off meh dented fore'ead like glue. I wos awlways yer constant companion, driftin' be'ind yer mother's car on yer ride ta preschool. Yew were alone in the bathroom, but I wos on the other side o' the door, wind whistlin' through the bruised 'ole in meh neck. Meh arms twisted an' 'angin' in their sockets as I stood 'unched on the other side o' the shower curtain. I wait an' follow yew. I follow an' drift be'ind yew.'"

" 'I'm not seen. I'm almost not-there in light. Yew never saw me tha' mornin' as I sat across from yew at the breakfast table, a shiny red clot 'angin' from an empty tooth socket as I gaped grotesquely at yew.'" At this moment, 2D couldn't help but gently poke a finger into his mouth, feeling the rims of the teeth fencing his gap. " ' I wonder sometimes if yew know I'm there. I think yew are aware, but yew'll never understand jus' 'ow close I am.'"

" 'I spend 'ours o' yer day doin' nothin' more than breathin' in yer ear. Breathin'-gaggin', really. I crave ta be close ta yew, ta awlways wrap meh crippled around yer neck. I lie near yew ev'ry night, cloudy eyes starin' at yer ceilin', underneath yer bed, at yer sleepin' face in the dark. Yes, yew caught me starin' occasionally. Yer parents came runnin' down ta yer room one night when yew screamed. Yew were jus' beginnin' ta talk, so yew were only able ta cry out 'Man! Man in meh room!'. Yew thought yew'd never ferget the sight o' me, with meh collapsed jaw 'angin' ta meh chest, swingin' back an' forth.'"

" 'I sank back inta yer closet an' yer mother wos unable ta see me though yew pointed an' pointed an' pointed. Yew thought yew'd never ferget when they left tha' same night. yew saw the closet door crack so softly an' me crawlin' across the floor ta yer bed on awl fours, shamblin' in jerky movements as I pushed mehself under yer bed with disjointed limbs. Yew learned a new word fer me: Boogieman. Not quite the monster yew thought I wos. I'm jus' waitin' an' followin' yew awlways, touchin' yer face with meh knotted fingers as yew sleep.'"

"Yew don' know anythin' 'bout tha' crap!" Murdoc's rasp made them all jump and scream. "Guardian angel indeed."

"That was strangely beautiful," said Noodle, one eyebrow raised as she thought the idea over.

Murdoc scoffed. "Runt, yew know tha' stuff ain' true. Yeh got the proof 'angin' roud yer neck."

Cyan pulled the Evangelist charm out from under her shirt. She held it up to the firelight. "Well...te description may be off, but Vangy an' Boogie do lewk a lot alike. Maybe t'ere's a chance-"

"Did yew not 'ear Death? 'E said tha' Evangelist can serve one person till they die. Not ev'ryone's got an Evangelist."

"But," Cyan jumped up from her seat, "tha' doesn' mean t'ere's aren' any guardian angels! Who's ta say t'ere aren' spirits wotchin' oveh us? Protectin' us an' awl tha' we do? T'ere are such 'fings, so says te Speakeh o' Fergotten Souls!" She sank her teeth into her lip after that last bit.

"The what?" asked Russel.

"Nuffink," she sank back into her chair, but their eyes continued to stare into her soul. She hadn't meant to say that. It was title she had more reserved for herself, and Sterling to a lesser degree, and kept hidden within her mind. Why? Maybe they'd laugh at her, maybe they would think she was crazy. Even with a demon-bird pet and a benevolent spirit that could be summoned through a charm, talking with the Dead was not something a parent wanted their child to do. Even if the Dead weren't technically strangers.

Murdoc, however, looked very thoughtful. He crossed around their little sitting circle, slapping Arthur upside the head. "Budge up." The boy immediately moved aside so the Satanist could sit next to Cyan. "Listen runt," he hissed quietly so no one could hear, "don' dwell too much in the Between. I know ih can be appealin' ta see yer kin, but ih can be real dangerous. The Livin' do not belong there."

"Ih wos jus' meh dead siblin's," she replied.

"Not yer mum?"

"No."

He leaned back slightly, exhaling slowly. "Tha's good. She knows not ta try an' draw yeh near. Once yeh get a good idea o' the power yew possess, ih's 'ard ta let go o' those people. But they can still be useful, so don' overdo ih."

Noodle had taken a turn in a scary story. Hers didn't frighten the pants off anyone and it was almost soothing in a way to hear something different than the idea of things trying and failing to steal babies and grotesque creatures following us in our everyday lives. Minnie seemed very dissatisfied, tapping her fingers against her arm.

"One more go."

"Nuh-uh," 2D said firmly. Primrose looked like she was repeatedly swallowing the shrieks that were building up in her ribcage. Her amber eyes were full of gratitude for her father.

"Yeh ever 'ear the one about the girl left 'ome alone an' she wos scared an' 'er dog kept lickin' 'er 'and but in the mornin' ih turned out 'er dog was killed an' a person 'ad been doin' the lickin'?" she said in one breath.

Rory cried loudly and scampered over to Noodle. She quickly bundled her frightened son in her lap, rocking him back and forth to calm him. 2D grinned at his child, "In mummy's arms, no safeh place."

"Meh mum dropped me once," Minnie stated.

"Why does tha' not surprise me?" Arthur whispered to Joel, the two of them enjoying a laugh.

The sun was gone and twilight had passed into pure night. It was time to upgrade the party. Everyone who was going to the Hills starting packing whatever they wanted to take, keeping in mind that tents and such had to be carried up as well. Cyborg would be going with them, but Noodle, Rory, and Russel were sticking behind. And possibly Murdoc, but he had shut himself back up in his Winnebago, so they weren't quite sure. Arthur's parents wouldn't let him spend the night out there and Sterling never called his to get permission. They just let it slide.

"Stuart, I'm not sure this is a good idea," Noodle planted herself in the doorway of their bedroom to ensure her husband would hear what she had to say. "If one of them freaks, they'll go down the falls."

"Or go off te cliff o' Loneridge, fawl down a 'ole in 'Ollowridge, or get lost in Mistyridge. Yer too negative, love," he kissed her lightly on the cheek. "Ev'ryfink will be fine."

"You say that now, but you'll be thinking differently when you come back in the morning."

"Oh, yew psychic now? When am I gonna die?"

"Don't be smug," she playfully hit her closed fist against his ribs. "Please be careful."

"I awlways am." With that, he led the march of himself, Cyborg, Primrose, Minnie, Cyan, Joel, Sterling, and Ferdinand across the grassy plain. Each of them, minus the dog, had a torch of their own for later use. Currently, the teens were waving them around like idiots. They couldn't help it.

With Cyborg being the only other 'adult' in the group, she and 2D consulted each other before choosing a spot at Fallridge relatively close to the foot of the hill. Noodle's words had made an impact and 2D did his best to ensure they didn't happen. Besides, the sounds of trickling water would have had him up all night going to the bathroom.

"Don'chu think ih's weird tha' yer dad is sleepin' with another woman?" Minnie whispered to Cyan.

"Pardon me?"

"Well, 'e's sharin' tha' tent with 'er."

"Tha' doesn' mean they're sleepin' together," Joel growled, offended at the thought. "Dad's married ta Noodle."

"Wait..." the pink-haired teen paused for a moment. "Run me through this again."

Primrose was currently helping Cyborg inflate an air mattress, so Cyan took it upon herself to educate Minnie. "Meh da' an' Noodle are married an' Rory is t'eir son. Tha's Cyborg, she's...Noodle's sisteh."

"Why's she cawled Cyborg?"

"She's very stoic," answered Joel.

" 'Kay, but why is she sharin' a tent with yer dad? Won' Noodle be upset tha' 'e's bunkin' with 'er sister?"

"I really don' 'fink we need ta worry 'bout tha' kinda stuff," said Cyan. "She's...um...she's asexual." It was as good of solution that they could get without expelling all the family's secrets.

"Oh, I thought she wos married ta one o' the other guys an' yew awl jus' lived together."

"No, Russel's like an uncle an' Misteh Muhdoc..." Cyan paused, "well, 'e's meh godfather an' tha's awl I can really say."

Primrose sank down to sit on the half-blown mattress. Her weight made it billow around her and she laid back, ready for bed. 2D came walking by, doing a sort of patrol around the site. He tripped on a rock and grasped Cyborg for a strong hold. His momentum dragged both of them down onto the mattress. Primrose shrieked as she was launched across the site, landing in the dirt with a loud thud.

"Good air," said Sterling. " 'Ow much do yew weigh?"

"Forget-me-not!" Minnie rushed to her side, untangling the poor girl from her own limbs. The blunette groaned and splayed herself out on the dirt. If anyone was cursed, it was her. Her awkwardness often made her the butt of many jokes and the victim of many circumstances. It wasn't fair in all reality.

With that little stunt, they called it a night. The three girls in one tent, the boys and dog in another, and 2D with Cyborg in the third. Their site was stable, they were warm, nothing could go wrong. A little shifting had to be done in the girls' tent, something that Cyan was not very happy about when she ended crushed against the tent wall that would be damp with dew in the morning. Once again, Primrose shrugged.

Sleep was a fickle thing. Not for 2D apparently since his snores made his tent shudder. Cyborg shut down when she went to sleep, an earthquake wouldn't wake her up until the hours she set were complete. The girls could hear Sterling and Joel laughing quietly in their tent, imitating the snores that kept them awake.

"I'm gonna strangle yer dad," Minnie whispered.

"Tha's nuffink," Cyan whispered back. "Yew shewd 'ear 'im when 'e's frightened. Sounds like a combination o' a dog gettin' 'is tail slammed in te door an' a mouse gettin' stepped on." But what truly blew her mind was that she was agreeing with Minnie. At some point, they must have fallen asleep, because Cyan found herself being jerked awake by a shove. Thinking it was just one of the other two moving in their sleep, she shoved back.

" 'Ey now," she could make out Minnie in the dim light. "I gotta question."

"Yew woke me up ta get a question answered? Yew best be jokin'."

"Yer dog...'e doesn' bark, does 'e?"

Cyan stared at the girl leaning over her. Does Ferdinand bark? "Well...'e's a bull mastiff...I 'fink 'e bays. Not really much o' a bark."

"Okay, 'cause there's somethin' white barkin' out there."

The blunette sat up immediately and peeked out of the tent flap. Sure enough, a little ways down the rise was a white blob in the darkness, sniffing in the grass. Ferdinand didn't bark and he wasn't white. In fact, his brindled coat made it hard to spot him in the dark. This whatever-it-was stood out like the moon in the sky. It definitely wasn't Ferdinand.

"Pro'lly jus' a stray." People never reported any problems with stray animals, so what chance was there that this one was aggressive? Maybe it wasn't even a stray, just someone's pet who wandered too far. There was nothing to worry about. Cyan curled back up in her sleeping bag, content to just let the animal do its business and go home. All three girls shot upward at the sound of growling. A scuffling noise and rapid footsteps followed soon after. A shadow passed over the tent, tall and lean.

"The Slender Man!" Minnie whimpered. She started fumbling around for something engulfed in the folds of her sleeping bag. Cyan dove into her own, reaching around for her knife. She had brought it just in case anything could possibly go wrong and stowed it in her sleeping bag. They heard the sound of the zipper that sealed the tent flap beginning to hum as the entrance was widened.

Primrose screamed as a hand reached through to push it even more open. As the figure began to enter the tent, Minnie sprang to her feet and slammed the battery-heavy end of her torch down on what she believed to be its head. The figure shrieked in pain and crumpled to the ground. The girl let out a loud whoop and starting beating the figure even further, eliciting whimpers and cries of pain.

"Wait!" Cyan reached up and snagged the torch out of Minnie's hand before she could send it into another down-stroke. The blunette turned it on and shined the beam onto the figure which had invaded. "Da'! Are yew awlright?" She crouched beside her father, who was clutching the spot he'd been struck first.

"Dad, thank God ih's only yew," Primrose looked like she was about to faint in relief.

"I...I thought yew were the Slender Man," was all Minnie could say, realizing the horrible mistake she had made. "Damn, I'm sorry! We saw the shadow, then the 'and wos reachin' right fer Primrose an' I don' let nothin' touch 'er."

"Wot 'appened?" Both Sterling and Joel appeared at the tent entrance, wielding large stones.

2D managed to sit up and look right at Minnie. "Yew'd 'frow yerself inta dangeh ta protect Rosie? Wot if I wos a dangerous monsteh?"

"I thought yew were. Yew 'aven' 'eard o' Slender Man? 'E likes ta steal children. I thought 'e wos comin' fer us."

"Yew 'fought I wos a terrifyin' monsteh an' yet yew still attacked."

" 'Ell yeah! Nothin' ever touches 'er. Rosie ain' got much spirit in standin' up fer 'erself, but I do ih fo' 'er. Meh boyfriend says I need ta slow down a bit."

In that one sentence, all of 2D's doubts vanished. Minnie protected Primrose from anything that would hurt her. She was guardian of sorts. He was finally comfortable with this girl befriending his daughter. "I scared off tha' dog when ih got too close ta yer tent. I wos jus' checkin' an' makin' sure yew lot were okay."

* * *

><p>"Sorry if I gave off the wrong image when I showed up." Minnie used several barrettes to pull Cyan's hair up. "I can be a li'le in-yer-face at most times. Meh uncle's a psychiatrist an' 'e says ta speak meh mind an' not 'old back, or else I get jittery an' angry. I didn' mean ta insult anyone, but I 'ad ta do ih or else I might've 'it yew."<p>

"I undehstand." The three teen girls were inside Cyan's room. It was Sunday and Primrose's parents would be showing up soon to take her and Minnie. The pink-haired girl offered a last-minute gift to Cyan. Despite the horror that would ensue, she complied. Currently, Cyan was holding an ice cube against the upper cartilage of her ear and Primrose had the needle in the candle flame.

"I'll give yeh mine," Minnie undid the stud in her ear and dropped it into a pan of alcohol.

"Do yew know wot yer doin'?" Cyan couldn't help but ask as she saw the needle trade hands.

"I did meh own an' a friend's. We can stop now if yeh like, 'cause once ih's in-"

"No, do ih." Minnie shrugged and held the lemon wedge behind Cyan's ear after she lowered the ice cube. The blunette bit her lip tightly as the needle plunged through her skin. She squeaked loudly but tried not to move away. The stud was fished out of the pan and placed in the new hole.

"There yeh are!" A mirror was held up so she could see. "Try an' wash ih real careful-like. Ih'll 'urt fer a while, but the pain'll go away."

" 'Fanks." A car horn honked loudly outside. It was time for them to go. "Ih wos nice meetin' yew."

"Likewise." Primrose and Minnie slung their bags onto their backs and went down by the outside ladder. Cyan watched them from her balcony, waving goodbye as the car rolled away. She sighed softly and went down the ladder herself. After a few deep breaths, she went inside the house to face the music.

"WOT DID YEW DO TA YER EAR?"

* * *

><p>That was 2D screaming at the end by the way.<p>

Minnie's stories are from Creepypasta, at least that's where I read them. And 2D's not the Slender Man, you can trust me, I have a birthmark. ;D


	42. Bonus: Milestones

Milestones

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>"Yew really think one o' our kids cewd qualify?"<p>

"There's awlways tha' chance."

Wouldn't it be something to realize that a child you knew, whether you were their teacher or friend, turned out to be a genius? An academically gifted friend could really work in the long run. And finding those children was becoming a top priority. That's what Mr. Sent-From-the-District was doing in Valleyridge. Following a pattern of high grades, he wanted to pinpoint the chance of a genius being in the schools.

And so, the man was led through each hallway, peering into various classrooms. He had the credentials of each student in each class in each grade. So far, everything checked out normal. The children he saw did normal work and didn't act out of the ordinary. By the time he reached the part of the school housing years 7 through 11, he was beginning to doubt some things.

These years were when teens really started growing into their adult bodies and goofed off quite a bit. But, in a way, it would be easier to pick out who could be gifted among them. The first few classes he saw were fairly average. A quick glance in the arts annex revealed nothing. Students skipping class ducked out of the way.

"Anythin' yet?" asked the principal.

"Not from wot I can see," said Mr. Sent-From-the-District. "Do yew 'ave any leads? Any children I cewd specially lewk at?"

"I'm not quite sure." They peeked together into a classroom hosting some Year 10 students at the moment. Once again, normal in every sense. Some students were working, others goofing off. Mr. Sent-From-the-District almost pulled away when something caught his eye.

"Who is tha'?" he asked, pointing to the teen he meant.

"Oh, tha's Ms. Connell-Pot."

Cyan didn't know she was being scrutinized at the moment. She had finished her work and was currently playing with the brain-teaser toys that this teacher supplied for fun. She had done them several times before, but still enjoyed solving them again and again. She had a knack for it. It helped her focus. She often thought about taking up Sudoku and teaching her father how to actually play it. He still claimed his way of playing was 'better'.

"I..." Mr. Sent-From-the-District eyed her movements carefully as she slipped the metal ring off the brain-teaser in less than ten seconds, "I'd like ta speak with 'er."

"Yew think she may be one?"

"Well, 'er grades are certainly 'oldin' up nicely. Cewd use a li'le tune up 'ere or there, but still very good. She's one I wont ta talk with."

* * *

><p>Cyan flung her book-bag into a chair, hooked her ankle on the chair leg, and dragged it to settle next to the school's keyboard. Her fellow music class patrons streamed into the room, pulling out instruments and settling in chairs. She spun around in her swivel chair a few times. Sometimes she felt this class was a joke. The teacher was a half-deaf woman who couldn't tell the difference between a bass and treble clef. It was the 'comma-swirl' and the 'fancy S'.<p>

A blaring noise exploded in her ear. She screamed and elbowed the soft mass behind her. "Ow!" Sterling laughed, pressing his hand against the spot where she'd hit him. He raised his trumpet to his lips and blew again. "Keep's yeh on yer toes."

"Well meh toes will be buried in yer groin if yew do tha' again." He just laughed in reply, playing a little tune on his brass instrument. Cyan pushed him slightly and he returned to his spot: second chair trumpet.

A loud beep made everyone halt in what they were doing. A crackly voice spoke through the intercom. "Will Cyan Connell-Pot please report ta the office?" Everybody stared at her after the buzzing died down.

Sterling mouthed, "Wot did yew do?" to which she could only raise her shoulders in confusion. What did she do? She had only been call to the office once and that was so that Noodle could take her home after puking in a paint can. She hadn't called for her family. Maybe it was an emergency. Maybe Murdoc needed someone to testify in court.

She collected her stuff and strode out of the room. But she was frightfully nervous as the scenarios began to pile on. Maybe someone from Child Services was taking another whack at the family. Maybe a fire burned down her house. Or the shop! It was right next to the bakery. Maybe 2D was in the hospital! What if Rory had gotten hurt?

" 'Ello?" she peeked around the door, immediately catching sight of a man in a suit. Danger zone.

"Welcome!" Mr. Sent-From-the-District stood up and held out his hand. "Ih is quite an 'onor ta meet yew, Ms. Connell-Pot. I 'ave some great news fer yew."

"Depends on who ih's great fo'." She kept her back to the wall, eyeing both the man and the principal. Neither seemed worried or mad; in fact, they seemed happy. "Why am I 'ere?"

"After reviewin' yer record, I am askin' yer permission ta perform a series o' tests."

Cyan felt her wrist twinge. Her face scrunched in anger, showing this man she wouldn't be conned. "Wot sorta tests?"

"Qualifyin' exams fer a special program-"

"I'm not special needs!" she burst out. She'd gone through this before, right after the family had arrived in Valleyridge.

Mr. Sent-From-the-District flinched at the volume of her voice. "Quite the opposite actually. These exams are fo' a gifted children's program. We think yew may fit in quite well."

Cyan froze up. Gifted children? A qualifying exam for gifted children...and they were asking her to take it. "Gifted like...genius?"

"Essentially yes," said the principal. "Yew were observed earlier t'day an yer file reviewed. Yer record is outstandin' an' yer grades excellent. I 'ave awlready written a recommendation fer yew ta join the program. Yew jus' need ta get yer father's permission ta take the tests."

A gifted children's program. Cyan couldn't believe. Sure, she was smart, but not gifted. This had to be a big mistake, they were misinformed about something and only came to their conclusion because of it. "I don' 'fink I belong t'ere-"

"Lewk," said Mr. Sent-From-the-District, "we don' yew talk with yer parents about ih, then reply?"

"In fact," said the principal, "I've awlready cawled yer father ta come down an' discuss this."

Cyan covered her face with her hands. _Oh no..._ 2D always blew things out of proportion. He would definitely come crashing through the school doors to find her after receiving a call that she was in the principal's office. She was never quite sure what he would assume, but he always thought the worst. So right now, in his head, she either started a fire or got shot.

Out of the corner or her eye, Cyan saw Arthur peeking from the little window in the door. Why he was here, she wasn't sure. Most likely snuck in after hearing her name on the intercom. She crossed her arms over her stomach and, with the hand the two adults couldn't see, waved him away. His face disappeared once she did it and she as left to wait for her father to barge in.

And barge he did. 2D slammed into the door before fumbling for the knob and actually opening it. "Wot 'appened?" he demanded. "Did yew bring yer knife ta school again? I'll snap tha' 'fing in two if yew-"

"Please sir," Mr. Sent-From-the-Disctrict got up from his seat and extended his hand to the blunette. "Let me be the one ta congratulate yew on yer daughter's achievement."

2D's dents narrowed at the man in the suit. He cautiously took his hand for the hand-shake, but withdrew it as soon as he could and shoved it into his pants pocket. "Wot achievement?"

"Yer daughter 'as been accepted fer the preliminary tests fer a gifted children's program."

Cyan saw a flash of white in 2D's dents that he quickly suppressed. He looked down at her in shock. She shrugged her shoulders, not knowing how to truly respond to this. 2D was proud of every little achievement each of his offspring produced. He always knew Cyan was smart, but to this degree? Even he knew it wasn't natural smarts, she had to be intelligent to survive when she was younger. But did it escalate to the degree that this suited man was claiming? "Gifted children's program?" he repeated.

"Tha's right. Now, there's nothin' set in motion at the moment. I wont yew an' yer daughter ta go 'ome an' discuss wot yew wont ta do about ih. I jus' wont yew ta know tha' she is eligible."

"Shewd I go back ta class?" Cyan asked the principal. Music was her last class of the day and it really didn't matter to her whether she partook or not. She had plenty of music at home and the shop anyway.

"No, yew are allowed ta go." Once the father and daughter rushed out, the principal got up and shut the door. "I'm gonna warn yew now. Do _not _get too involved with tha' family. Ih is a death-sentence."

"Why?" said Mr. Sent-From-the-District. "Are they..." he couldn't summon the word he wanted to use.

"Listen, about three months ago, someone from Child Services tried ta take Cyan away from 'er father. They are fiercely protective o' 'er an' the other children. If, fer any reason, they think yer gonna 'urt 'er or take 'er away, they will bludgeon yew ta death."

"Oh...do they 'ave a 'istory o' tha'?"

"No, but yew can see ih in their eyes. Stuart, who yew jus' met, is the somewot patriarch. There's 'im an' 'is wife Noodle," he paused at the look of confusion on Mr. Sent-From-the-District's face, "she foreign. Some kinda Asian. I think ih means somethin' in 'er language an' ih jus' sounds like Noodle or somethin' like tha'. Then there's 'er sister Cyborg, they cawl 'er tha' 'cause she's real serious. She lives with 'em. Then there's Russel 'Obbs, I think 'e's Noodle's adoptive father an' 'e lives with 'em. Then there's Murdoc Niccals, yew avoid 'im as best yeh can."

"Why? Is 'e violent?"

"Well, despite lewkin' like 'e's decayin' from the inside-out, 'e's Cyan godfather an' lives on the property, but not in the 'ouse. Then Rory is Stuart an' Noodle's son an' there are two others who only 'ave visitation rights."

"Stuart 'as more children?"

"Yeah, but don' go thinkin' the smart gene runs in 'is blood. 'E's a good man through-an'-through, but a li'le thick. I don' know if 'e wos married or if they were one-night flings tha' ended with offspring. Joel Smalls an' Primrose Meadows visit the 'ome, but live at diff'rent locations. Cyan 'ad a mother, tha's why 'er last name is diff'rent, but I believe she died an' so 'er father 'as full custody. Jus'...be very-very careful around tha' family."

* * *

><p>The news didn't have to be relayed to the others. Murdoc got the mail (for once) and slapped the thick envelope on the table for all to see. Inside was all the information concerning the program itself, all the credentials, and the main topics of the preliminary tests. Each piece of paper was extracted and lay across the wood.<p>

"This is...incredible," said Noodle, sorting through a packet. "Cyan, do you have any idea of the opportunities you'll have?"

"Which I don' like," she replied. "Why shewd anyone be singled out?"

"So that this talent may be cultured?" Cyborg suggested as an answer. "I have noted that children are separated among their own peers. Does Sterling not attend all your classes?"

"First off, Sterlin's two years oldeh t'an me. Second, te Years at me school are awl intehspersed wiff one anotheh. T'ey're cawled electives. Sterlin' an' I share some classes, but not awl. Oveh-awl, we're not too split up." She tilted her head downward to stare at the many papers strewn across the table. "I don' wanna do t'is."

2D stared at his daughter in shock. He always wanted what was best for his children. This program was offering the very best for Cyan, who had had the harshest life, at least from what he knew. Why wouldn't she want this? She _needed _this. "Love, why don'chu give ih a chance?"

"Da', yew've been singled out an' I 'ave too. I don' wont tha' anymore. I jus' wanna go ta a normal school, 'ave normal friends, do normal stuff. I don' wanna be discriminated in any way, even fer bein' smart. Y'know wot t'ey cawl t'ose people? Nerds." She started taking all the papers from their hands and stacking them together. "Misteh Muhdoc, can I borrow yer lighteh?"

"Okay, calm down," Noodle took the offered lighter before it could exchange hands. "I'll take those too," she yanked the papers out of the girl's hands. It took a lot of effort. She handed them to 2D and he quickly hugged them tightly to his chest. "We are going to hold onto these. We'll discuss this later." Cyan bared her teeth and shoved her chair back. Why did they have to discuss it? She didn't want to do it, she didn't want to be in the program, so why wouldn't they listen to her? Because she was a child, a fourteen year old child, but still a minor. The parents know best. She had figured the child services indecent would open her father's mind to what she had to say. Then again...he was thick.

Cyan scaled the stairway to her room, catching a quick glimpse of Murdoc going to his Winnebago while she was on the catwalk. He snapped his fingers to get her attention and tossed another lighter up to her. He winked suggestively before continuing back to his mobile home. Cyan turned around to go back inside. All she needed was to get those papers, then this would all be over. Everyone had scattered after the meeting, going their separate ways.

It was all a matter of sneakiness. Noodle and 2D only had a limited number of places to hide those papers and she was aware of many of them. A majority of them she could easily locate, she just needed some alone time, which was a rarity in this house actually. However, there was one that would take some help getting into and she was positive that the papers had been placed inside that one spot. The 'secret' safe that 2D had stored at the top shelf of the closet. Her lock-picking skills weren't top mark, but she was sure Murdoc had some pointers that he would be more than happy to teach her.

A quick glance under the door revealed 2D on his knees, placing the papers in that very safe. It was lifted off the ground and only his feet were there. The safe was back on the shelf where they had it figured she couldn't reach it at all. Under normal circumstances, Cyan hated it when people thought little of her, but sometimes loved it when they underestimated her and her talents. Even Noodle was guilty of that sometimes and that woman saw _all. _

There wasn't anything to be done until both 2D and Noodle were out of the house. All she could do at the moment was recruit Murdoc to her new cause. There was no doubt in her mind that _someone_, be it Noodle, Cyborg, or Russel, was currently watching her every move. Her guess was Cyborg, which was somewhat confirmed when she stepped outside and saw the robot attentively watching Rory in the grass, but still managed to sneak a few glances at the blunette teen. Cyan pulled a few faces before taking the lighter out of her pocket and waving it. This would do as a cover-up for her cross-examination later.

"Yo Green Man Group!" she tapper her knuckles sharply against the door of the Winnebago. She heard a grunt from inside, indicating that she was welcome to come in...at her own risk, of course. " 'Ere's yer lighteh," she tossed it to him. He didn't even make an effort to catch it, only letting it hit his stomach as he splayed himself in the driver's chair. "Now fer te real reason I'm 'ere."

"Thought so," he responded.

"I need yer expertise in ordeh ta retrieve meh papers. Da' put 'em in te safe."

The Satanist stared blankly for a few moments, mulling over this situation in his mind. Finally, he shrugged and stood up. "Let's go fer ih." Cyan, slightly astounded that he had agreed so readily, was shoved aside as he went outside, reaching back through the door and pulling her outside. He resorted to picking her up, a easy feat still considering the girl's size, but halted and set her down when he saw the Mako pulling out of the driveway. "Get back," they hid around the corner of the garage, watching the car drive off down the road.

"Who wos in ih?" Cyan continued watching the car until it disappeared.

"I got an idea," Murdoc muttered. He strode into the house, leaving Cyan to follow him on her own. By the time she had made it up the stairs and into 2D and Noodle's room, the Satanist had already flung the closet doors open to reveal the safe was gone. "Well...I wos right. Yer outta luck, runt, they tewk ih with 'em."

"Wot? !" she buried herself inside the confines of the little room, climbing shelves to peek around every small space.

"Noodle got smart, tewk the safe so yew cewdn' get those papers. Sucks ass ta get screwed over like tha'. Ih's most likely at the shop now. Well...yer fucked." He turned and left her there. Cyan pulled one of 2D's socks off her head and sat in the dirty clothes. She should have seen this coming. Noodle was always thinking of news ways to evade her plans, just as Cyan was always thinking new ones up. It was an endless cycle of wits and nobody knew who was going to end up on top. It was interesting to have a worthy adversary.

Once again, she was lost about what to do. The safe was in the shop now and she stood little chance at getting to it. Noodle had seen her coming a mile away and had most likely trained 2D in the art of outsmarting his daughter, if only for a short bit. He could never truly do it for long. Maybe a few mind tricks here and there but nothing major. What could she do against the two of them?

Gather her troops.

* * *

><p>Arthur didn't know why he felt the way he did. There was just some nagging feeling in the pit of his chest concerning Sterling. He knew it had some root in his affections with Cyan, which had blossomed ever since he first laid on that tiny, thin, injured, nine year old. She never seemed to fully return his affections, but he had lots and lots of hope for the future. But the way that she interacted with her fellow orphan...it just made him burn up inside.<p>

"Yo Art!" He wasn't quite sure if Sterling was aware of his feelings. The teen was perfectly friendly with him, so Arthur highly doubted whether or not he knew. "Did'ja 'ear about Cy-girl? Some guy wos messin' with 'er family."

_Where wos I when this 'appened? I'm their freakin' neighbor an' Sterlin' 'ears this b'fore me? _"Yeah, I 'eard."

"Freaky huh? Trouble jus' seems ta follow 'em around." Sterling, completely unaware of Arthur's current attitude, got close and personal to his supposed 'friend.' Arthur scooted slightly away from him, teetering on the edge of the bench they now shared. "Yew think she's gonna do ih?"

"I don' know, ih's up ta 'er."

"If she does, she'll go ta some fancy school ta get fancy degrees. We'll jus' be the li'le folk she steps on."

Arthur whirled around to face the other teen. "Cy wewd never do tha'! Yew don' know 'er like I do."

"But I know the darker side," he said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"If yew wewd please stop talkin' 'bout me be'ind meh back," they both looked up at the shadow being cast on their bodies, seeing an annoyed blunette teen glaring at them. "I need yer 'elp concernin' yer very topic. I don' wanna do te program, but meh da' an' Noodle won' listen. T'ey took te papers an' 'id 'em in our safe, t'en took te safe an' put ih in te shop. I need t'ose papers."

"They got yew figured out," said Sterling.

"Noodle does at least, still not quite sure 'bout meh da'. I don' 'fink 'e'll eveh wise up completely." She dropped her backpack to the ground and began routing through it. "If I'm 'finkin' right, t'ey'll store ih in te back room so Noodle can keep an eye on ih. One o' yew will distract 'em both, t'en me an' te otheh will get te safe."

"Hmm, seems risky. Wot's in ih fer us?" Sterling asked.

"I'll do ih fer nothin'," Arthur hastily stated, determined to jump when she said 'jump'.

Sterling laughed at his haste. His laughter, though not cruel in any way, caused Arthur's stomach burn to explode into a full-on inferno. "I didn' really mean ih, 'course I'll 'elp. Yer fast, yew know tha'? Wot's the plan, cap'n?"

"Afteh school, we go ta te shop..."

* * *

><p>As the little bell above the door jangled, 2D was put on high alert. He had been trained yesterday in the art of temporarily outsmarting his daughter; though he felt it was all for naught since the very papers he was guarding claimed the girl was a genius. She didn't have to listen to him, she only did so out of respect, but as soon as she decided she didn't want to anymore, he was screwed.<p>

" 'Ello Mister Pot," Sterling strode smoothly into the shop, trumpet tucked under his arm. "I wos wonderin' if yew cewd 'elp me out."

"Sure Sterlin', wot seems ta be te problem?" He kept his voice very professional. Noodle had warned him about Cyan and her lackeys. Sterling and Arthur would follow her into Hell, as would Joel and Primrose (quite literally) but they weren't here at the moment. He could only thank God for his other children not visiting at the moment. His daughter was a regular shepherd to these bleating sheep.

"Well," the teen set his instrument on the counter, "ih ain' workin' too well. I don' know wot experience yeh got with brass instruments, but I thought 'if anyone cewd fix ih, ih's Mister Pot.'"

2D leaned across the counter, his face directly in front of Sterling's. "Wot game are yew playin'?"

"Game sir?" the teen smiled back. "Wot ever cewd yew mean?"

"I know Cy's gotta 'and in t'is. She told yew 'bout te papehs."

"I'm afraid I 'ave no clue ta wot yer implyin'." Sterling shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "Well, if yew can' 'elp me, maybe I shewd ask yer wife."

The blunette dropped his facade almost instantly. Sterling was working some good reverse psychology at the moment...and it was working. " 'Ang on! I can 'elp yew."

Sterling shook his head. "Nah, yer mistrustin' o' me. I don' wont 'elp from someone who doesn' 'ave good thoughts o' me in mind while they're fixin' meh trumpet. Yew cewd break somethin' an' then I'd lewk like a fool in class. 'Ow cewd yew, Mister Pot?" Noodle poked her head out of the work room to see who was hassling her husband. Her eyes narrowed at Sterling, suspecting Cyan and her devious mind. She glanced at the safe tucked away under her table and stood up.

"He doesn't need you messing with his head." Sterling visibly backed off upon seeing the woman walk out. "So what appears to be the problem?"

"Ih don' work right," he handed her the trumpet. "I don' know wot's wrong specifically. I leave tha' ta the experts." He winked at her, receiving a fiery glare in return that made him duck slightly.

While the two adults were currently occupied, the very thing they were trying to prevent was happening right behind their backs. Cyan and Arthur slipped through the door to the workroom from the alley. They let it shut enough that it would prevent any noises from the outside coming through, but also so that it didn't latch. They hauled the safe into the open space, flinching whenever any accidental sound was made.

"Do yew know the combination?" Arthur whispered.

"Somefink tells me ih'll do no good." She traced her fingers along a strange bumpy line. Last night, after Noodle and 2D had returned from the shop, Noodle had disappeared once more with Cyborg in tow. The safe was welded shut and could probably only be opened by the robot herself. They needed a new plan. "Push ih back in. Abort, abort."

She started sliding it back under the table, but as Arthur moved in to help her, his hand became caught between the safe and the table leg. "Fuck!" he yelped in pain as the skin on the back of his hand was nearly ripped off. Noodle and 2D rushed into the workroom. Cyan managed to heave the safe onto its side so Arthur could free his hand and the two rushed out the door before either adult could reach for them.

"I'll jus'...I'm gonna..." Sterling grabbed his trumpet and darted out without even finishing his sentence.

* * *

><p>She'd been out-foxed. Cyan couldn't collect her thoughts anymore after the failed attempt to snatch the papers the day before. She had been so confident in her abilities, now she felt completely helpless. She could always fail out of the program and it appeared that would be her only choice. Everyone was against her on this. She didn't like the feeling.<p>

"Cyan," Noodle opened the door to the teen's bedroom. The blunette buried her face under her pillow in an attempt to ward off her unwelcome visitor. "Get up, it's time for school."

"I can'," she mumbled into her pillow. "I'm sick."

"You are?" Noodle stepped closer to inspect her. Her tone seemed genuinely worried about Cyan's health.

"Yeah, I got clinomania."

Noodle raised a skeptical eyebrow. She rolled Cyan over and pressed a hand to her forehead. "You don't feel warm, but you do look like absolute crap."

" 'Fanks fer te sympathy."

The woman turned and walked out, leaving Cyan to wonder if this was an actual victory. She knew exactly what Noodle was going to do. She was going to seek out the nearest computer, look up her supposed illness, then come stomping back when she realized she'd been tricked. However, Cyan's reluctance wasn't just because of facing the day and her school mates. A horrible, gut-wrenching pain kept shooting through her abdomen ever since late last night.

She had learned a little trick from Mister Christofferson about using pain in a different part of her body so that the brain focused on it instead. She had dug her nails into her hand, practically drawing blood, and managed to ward off the stomach pain enough to fall asleep, but it was a dreamless, uncomfortable sleep. She couldn't help but think Russel had poisoned her dinner in some way so that she would be more compliant. Sort of a 'you'll get the antidote after you do this' kind of thing. She honestly wouldn't put it past them.

Noodle pushed the door back open a little too harshly, slamming it into the wall. "Get your butt out of bed before I make you!"

"Can', I'm off ta Sleepy 'Ollow."

"I'm not fooling around 'Ichabod'."

"Why botheh? I ain' gonna be goin' ta tha' school no more 'fanks ta yew guys. Why go back at awl? Why show mehself ta awl te people I'm gonna leave be'ind?"

Noodle grasped the blankets Cyan was wrapped in and yanked the entire load off the bed. "Get ready for school," she growled, not willing to put up with anymore of the girl's attitude toward the program. She opened her mouth to say more, but her jaw dropped further into a gasp of horror. She dropped the blanket and stepped back. "Cy...does your stomach hurt?"

"Yeah, 'fanks fer noticin' finally."

"How long has it been?" There was a tone in her voice, not quite fear, but maybe apprehension. "How long has it hurt?"

"Since last night." Cyan finally sat up in her bed. "Noodle, wot's wrong?" The woman didn't respond, but instead tilted her head downward, toward Cyan's bedsheets. Though it was a horrible thing to say, it looked like a murder scene. _So much blood..._

"Well..." Noodle spoke up, "this might explain your moodiness."

"Shut up!" the blunette sprang from her bed to view the damage done by the blood that had been coming from her body in a natural process that had finally fallen upon her. She couldn't help but feel partially relieved. She hated being small, so tiny and frail-looking that nobody took her, or her actual age, seriously. She had finally hit puberty. Soon, she would grow taller and more woman-like.

Noodle left without a word, but returned soon with a box in hand. "Please tell me you know how to use these," was all she said before throwing the box at the teen and rushing back to the house. Cyan picked up the box, revealing the objects inside were tampons. What else was there to do? This was just another life challenge. If she approached it in stride, she could easily overcome whatever it could throw at her.

An entire entourage greeted her downstairs in the kitchen. Noodle had told everyone no doubt and now they watched her every move as she approached them, like she was some sort of terrifying monster in disguise that could change at any moment and rip all their heads off. In a way...she actually was. She sat down in the chair next to her father, who gave her an almost-shy greeting and visibly scooted away a few inches.

"Really?" she growled. "Yer gonna act tha' way?"

"We all jus' need to calm down," said Russel. "This is- this is a good thing. Cy won' be so small anymore. She's gonna grow up an' jus' in time fo' the program. This is good. You'll have a better idea of what you wanna be in yo' adulthood."

"Yew 'ad ta bring tha' up again." There was an awkward silence that followed this statement, only interrupted by Rory's random words that didn't contribute to anything going on at the moment and Murdoc's little snorts that escaped as he tried to conceal the laughter and, mostly likely, sexual jokes that threatened to burst forth and get him killed. Everyone eventually drifted away without another word, leaving the teen with her little brother and Cyborg, who began preparing the boy's breakfast.

A small sigh was the form of her exhale as Cyan retrieved her unfinished biology homework. She was puzzled over how her grades stayed so high when she always put her work off till the last moment. A plate of toast was set before her and she reached out without thinking, grabbing a slice and nibbling on it. Rory was watching her intensely, then raised himself out of his booster seat and snagged her other slice of toast, happily chewing on the crust. She didn't even notice.

" 'Ey Cyborg," the blunette brushed toast crumbs from her biology work, "wot's ih cawled when wateh can pass 'frough a semipermeable membrane? Ih's numbeh three."

There was a faint beeping sound and Cyborg froze up as she searched for the answer through their WiFi. They didn't know if she had always been able to do that or just picked it up somehow, but it was pretty useful to find quick answers. "Answer, osmosis."

" 'Fanks." Cyan didn't even write the first letter when the realization of the entire situation that had taken place these last few days came crashing down. She had been offered a place in that program because she had good grades and a rather high intelligence. That intelligence was only restricted to what she wanted to learn, and so, didn't appear too often in some subjects. But she still had high grades, even in the classes she struggled in. Now it all made sense.

"Are you okay?" Cyborg waved her hand in front of the girl's face.

"Noodle!" Cyan exploded, tipping her chair over as she rushed out of the kitchen. "Noodle! Da'! I jus' figured ih out! I use Cyborg ta keep meh grades up! She's meh walkin' dictionary, thesaurus, calculator, an' textbook! Don'chu see? ! I'm not smart! I'm not smart! I'm not smart!" Never had there been someone who was so happy to be average.

A green arm caught her as she rushed by the couch. Murdoc held her in place as he stood up from where he was lying. "So...the program fails," he said. "Yeh didn' need ih anyway, yer fine on yer own. Knowledge is power an' power corrupts, so study 'ard an' be evil."

"I'll be evil when pigs fly," she countered, racing up the stairs to report her revelation to her father.

"With sufficient thrust, pigs fly jus' fine," the Satanist said to himself.

* * *

><p>That little trick with focusing pain in another part of the body actually works.<p> 


	43. Bonus: Achilles

Achilles

Today, I got a wrist brace. Typing's a temporary bitch. FML

By the way, there's only one more chapter after this one.

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>Cyborg's Roomba immediately responded when the juice was spilt across the kitchen floor. However, it wasn't Rory who had done it this time, though that was occurring less and less. Instead, this mess was caused by Cyan, but not on purpose. Contently sipping her drink, a slim object was thrust into her lap, spooking her and causing the glass to slip from her fingers and shatter on the floor.<p>

"Muhdoc!" 2D exclaimed. It was the Satanist who had caused this. He simply stood there, hands in his pockets, staring down at the object in his goddaughter's lap. Both Cyan and her father took notice of what it actually was. An air of tension filled the kitchen. The blunette teen refused to touch the object, forcing Murdoc to pick it and place it on the table, purposely pointing the barrel at 2D and smirking when he squeaked.

It was a hunting rifle, polished to reflect the light given off by the kitchen lights around them. They could even see the green numbers from the microwave reflecting in the polish. It was a pristine gun, unsullied in any way, leading them to deduce that Murdoc had bought it new and for a direct reason. You just don't go and randomly buy a gun. That man had an idea in mind and it involved this gun.

2D was instantly wary.

"Why is there a gun on the table?" Russel asked, stopping short on his way into the kitchen. His words snapped the kitchen occupants out of their trance. Cyan slid her chair back and almost tipped it over in the process. 2D snatched Rory out of his booster seat, hugging the boy to his chest until he cried in anger to be released.

"Tha' right there," said Murdoc, "is one o' the best 'untin' rifles around. Searched 'igh an' low fer ih. Yer lucky ta 'ave such a dedicated godfather, eh runt?"

Cyan didn't respond. She only continued to stare at the gun that had been gifted to her. Of all the things Murdoc had done, this was by far the most horrible. What could he possibly want her to do with this gun? Surely, he wasn't expecting her to kill an animal? Target practice would be nothing because she played with her slingshot all the time. Maybe Murdoc was upgrading her to a gun.

They all heard Noodle slide in the juice and almost fall, the only thing keeping her from hitting the floor being Cyborg's sturdy stance. She had spied the gun and panicked on what its purpose was for. But Cyborg stared at it with an almost hungry look in her eyes. Flashbacks played behind her eyes of the power and thrill that came from holding her weapons and destroying enemies. She took a step forward, her arm jerking upward to touch the gun. Noodle reached out and stopped her with an arm across her chest.

"Please explain to me why there is a rifle on the kitchen table."

Murdoc looked around at all the faces staring at him. "Wot? 'Ow am I the bad guy 'ere? I'm doin' yew awl a favor! This girl," he placed a hand on Cyan's head, "will kill us awl if we're not careful."

"Bull crap," 2D countered.

"Yew think so?" the Satanist smirked. "Puberty brings ragin' 'ormones. _Ragin' _She ain' gonna be the same anymore an' I've taken ih upon mehself ta ensure we can sleep through the night without worry o' our necks bein' sliced. She'll go mad, _crazy. _I'm makin' sure tha' rage isn' focused on 'uman blood. So we're goin' 'untin' an' we ain' comin' back till she kills somethin'."

"PMS is one 'fing!" Cyan burst out, finally speaking since the weapon had come into the room. "T'is is ridiculous! I'm not gonna kill anyone!" She bravely picked up the gun and shoved it back into Murdoc's hands, making sure the barrel wasn't pointed at anyone. "Take t'is an' don' bring ih up again."

"Yew ain' gotta choice," he growled. "I'm takin' yew inta the 'Ills an' yer _gonna _'unt."

"The Hills?" Noodle spoke up. "Murdoc, you can't go hunting in the Hills. Some of those animals are protected. You could go to jail."

He only scoffed in reply then shoved the gun back into Cyan's possession. "Get dressed an' ready ta go. If I find out yew've skipped out, I'll 'unt _yew _down an' yew know I'm capable." He turned and walked back to his Winnebago, leaving them to fear for the poor teen who was being forced to kill.

"Noodle, kick 'is arse!" 2D begged. "Don' let 'im do t'is! Cy can' kill an innocent animal, ih's not 'er nature."

The woman rubbed her head, looking back and forth between her husband and his daughter. "Stuart...I hate to say this, but it may be for the best."

"What? !" they all shouted. Even Cyborg stared wide-eyed at her twin, the very twin who had confiscated all her old guns and melted all the bullets into a chess set. What was going on around here?

"Look," Noodle started to defend her self, "I remember one time when I was still new to the concept of puberty. I was in Japan and a man had stepped on my foot when I was walking down the street. I _flew _at him, ended up dislocating his shoulder. I managed to get out of there before the cops showed up, but what Murdoc says is true in some cases. Every time I feel that rage, I remember what I did that day." She looked at Cyan with an air of understanding this exact situation. "There may come a time when you feel incredible anger and you will want to hurt someone, Murdoc is making sure you will remember what you will do today and maintain control of that anger."

"I don' wont ta," Cyan whimpered. "I don' 'fink I can. 'Urtin' te Boogieman wos one 'fing 'cause 'e wos tryin' ta kill us awl, but I can' kill an animal."

"If I know Muds," said Russel, "he'll make somethin' attack you so you _have _to defend yo'self. He's not gonna stop till you succeed."

"Do not worry," Cyborg assured her, "no matter what you think now, when the time comes that you really need to do it, you will shoot that gun."

* * *

><p>"Awl o' which makes me anxious, s-sometimes unbearably so." The words kept her calm, but Cyan began to think maybe a panic attack was exactly what she wanted. If she fell under, maybe Murdoc would give up and take her twitching form back down. No, he wouldn't. He would just wait until she calmed down and then force her onward. She almost wished for the fateful attack that could stop her heart and kill her, or at least be powerful enough to send her falling down the slope.<p>

They had parked the quads at the foot of Hollowridge and started up on foot. Murdoc claimed the engines would scare the animals. She wanted to fire a few rounds into the air to scare everything in the area away, but he had her gun for now. He threatened to shoot her in the knee cap should she try to flee. She had a few advantages over him. First, she was still small and quick. Second, she knew the basics of the Hollowridge caves. Third, she was quiet.

Or she could just 'accidently' shoot Murdoc.

Cyan shook the thought from her head with a few violent twists of the neck. Those thoughts were the very reason the Satanist was currently hiking with her into the Hills. To do so would simply confirm his reasons for this activity. Was she really that violent underneath? Did she possess a bloodthirsty desire for blood and death? But that was human nature in itself. We crave for violence of some kind because it excites us.

They hiked onward, over Hollowridge and Cyan's open window for escape. Murdoc kept going over the rivers of Fallridge and out toward Loneridge. The broken slab of cliff face loomed over them in the distance. Birds flocked here to nest in the grooves of rock and the trees that grew on top of the cliff. Did Murdoc want her to go bird hunting? Even she knew that something on the ground would be a lot easier to hit then something in the trees or flying.

Murdoc didn't speak the entire time they had left the house. She wondered if this was part of her initiation, the unbearable silence that would drive her insane until she craved any sound, even a gun shot. But the silence did open her ears to the rustling noises around them as animals lumbered about out of sight. The flutter of wings overhead and the falling forms of brown leaves told them the birds were still around.

But the Satanist surely wanted her to be scarred by this. He wouldn't make her kill something little. It had to be big, it had to have a lot of blood that would splatter everywhere, especially in her memory so as to keep her supposed rage in check. She doubted whether she even had it and those thoughts made her realize this could be all for nothing. But then there was still the chance that she was rage-hormone driven and this could be a good thing.

This whole situation made her think of 'Kids With Guns'. The whole point of that song was to discourage children from wielding weapons or it would turn them into horrible monsters bent on destruction. Her even holding that gun went against the song's message. Murdoc may turn her into a monster because of it, not divert her away from the violence. The thought made her tremble like she had been doused in ice water.

"Easy does ih, easy does ih," she whispered.

"Quiet!" Murdoc barked lowly. He crouched down beside a tree, his arm reaching outward and dropping the rifle in her outstretched hands. "There," he pointed through the thicket in front of them. A rabbit was nibbling on some grass. Cyan almost cried out at the idea of killing a bunny. "Shut ih!" he hissed. "Jus' kill ih quick. Won' feel a thing."

"I'd ratheh not shoot ih!" her voice cracked as she said this, but this wasn't the time to be embarrassed. "Yeh eveh read Watehship Down?"

"Shoot ih, runt!" he snarled.

Cyan choked back some tears. Her arms trembled even more violently, enough that she couldn't aim properly. Maybe she could miss everything, then Murdoc would give up and they could go home. _Jus' shoot above ih..._wait, what if that made her hit it? She crouched and used a rounded rock to line up her sights. The butt of the rifle was nestled in her shoulder, ready to dislocate it with recoil. She exhaled slowly, took careful aim right above the rabbit, and squeezed the trigger.

The explosion mad her ears ring, but the unbearable pain in her shoulder had her screaming her head despite not being able to hear it. She finally took notice that the shoulder she had the butt against was her right shoulder, the one with the knife scar. Murdoc didn't even stop to check if she was okay. He waded through the thicket to where the rabbit had been. Not a spot of blood or even a clump of fur. His eyes cast over to the chunk of bark missing from a nearby tree.

"Yew idiot."

Cyan rolled over and stood up, her hand massaging her injured shoulder. "Well fo'give me fer bein' a bad shot."

"Yew did tha' deliberately!"

"Why don'cha prove ih? !"

He snatched the gun off the ground and shoved it back at her. She growled in response, feeling anger bubble up inside of her. If anything was getting shot today it was the rare Green-Skinus Bastardus. She aimed right at his chest and almost smirked when she saw that brief flash of fear in his eyes. He knew she was capable...but would she actually do it? Cyan yelled and threw the gun to the ground.

The rifle twisted and landed with its barrel in the air. The shock of hitting the dirt set it off, the bullet shooting up into the tree they were by. They heard several tree branches cracking through the ringing in their ears. A large branch slammed into the dirt beside Cyan. Several smaller ones rained down into a pile, leaving a gaping hole in the foliage of the tree.

"Nice shootin', dumbass!" Murdoc shouted, rubbing his ears to clear up the ringing. "Yew tryin' ta kill us both?"

"Shut up!" she screamed. She wanted to say more, but a low sound made her stop. It was coming from the branch pile she had created. It sounded like Cortez in his bird form.

*_krark* *krark*_

It was a raven's call, or at least one of the sounds they could make. She dove at the pile and started yanking branches away to unveil the animal underneath. Did she shoot it? Had she injured some poor animal? Could she save it, or was it doomed to die? Murdoc watched her, offering no help and asking no explanation. The gun lay in the dirt where it had fallen. He looked down at it for a moment, then let it be.

"Oh my God..." Cyan backed away from the pile. A feathered bundle hopped out, but flopped around in the dirt once it was free. One wing didn't fold into the body correctly. It kept trying to right itself, but couldn't find its balance. It finally tired itself out and stared up at the giants looking down upon it. It knew it couldn't escape and it accepted its fate. They were going to kill it. They would grab its body in their claws and rip open its chest with their vile teeth. Blood would sully its beautiful feathers.

"Damn bird broke ihs wing," said Murdoc. "Ih'll be dead inna week."

"Wot makes yeh say tha'?"

"Yew think tha' li'le bastard can escape from predators? 'E'll get eaten if yer bullet didn' give 'im internal damage."

"I 'fink te branches fell on 'im." She stooped down and stroked her fingers over the short feathers on its head. The raven croaked in fear, its dark eyes widening at the sight of the monster reaching for it. Cyan almost fell over on top of it when Murdoc jabbed her in the back with the hunting rifle.

"Shoot ih. Ih's better than nothin'. Maybe I'll 'ave ih stuffed fer the kitchen. Bet Noodle'll enjoy tha'."

"I'm not gonna shoot ih!" She pushed the gun away and took off her jacket. The raven continued to croak softly in its fear, but didn't try to get away as she carefully wrapped it in her jacket and lifted it up to her chest. " 'Ey t'ere, I ain' gonna 'urt'cha."

Murdoc growled in the background, his plan failed. He knew Cyan was perfectly capable of killing, she'd willingly thrown herself upon the Boogieman without hesitation. But it seemed that ability was only unlockable in times of need. He swung the gun onto his back. _I give up... _They started back home, Cyan talking with the raven the whole way down the Hills.

* * *

><p>"Bird," Rory stated. "Bird..."<p>

"Wot color is ih?" Cyan questioned him.

The boy stared at her for a moment before jumping off his chair and running into the living room. He came back with a color wheel that they were using to educate him. He climbed back up and laid it on the table, looking back and forth between the feathered bundle and the wheel. His eyebrows crawled up his forehead when he couldn't find the color on the wheel. "No color," he answered.

"Tha's not true. Ih's a color, ih's jus' a color yew don' know te name of. Ih's black."

"Black," he repeated, looking down at the color wheel again. Cyan had just established that this word 'black' was a color, so why wasn't it on the wheel? He also noticed other colors about the house that weren't on the wheel either. This wheel was useless, it didn't tell him all the colors and he knew there were a lot more to learn. He pushed the wheel away from himself, watching it slide off the tabletop.

"Wot kinda bird is ih?" Cyan asked, just to see what he knew.

Rory stared at her with those wide eyes he shared with his mother, and Cyborg. He inched a bit closer to the bird, Cyan keeping a firm hold on it to make sure it didn't leap at him. He looked at it intensely, studying everything he could see about it. He drew a connection. To his older sister's amazement, he turned in his chair and pointed to the kitchen window, where they could see Cortez sitting in a tree outside.

" 'E's a Cortez bird?" said Cyan.

"Yeah." He nodded his head, eager to see if his answer was true. Cyan smiled and nodded in return. Rory laughed in his joy at answering that question. It was a little more difficult than other questions he was asked by the adults in the house. He liked answering the difficult question though.

Noodle and Cyborg came into the kitchen after running about the house. When Cyan and Murdoc had returned, the blunette had immediately gone into her explanation on what had happened at Loneridge. She showed them the raven and the damaged wing, then went into a mantra about how she had a responsibility to this bird now. Even if they didn't agree, she was going to keep it until it was better and could survive on its own. But Murdoc had only scoffed and claimed the bird was too stupid and would get killed as soon as she released it. She didn't think that was a fair judgement to make.

"We don't have anything to keep it in," said Noodle. "We could try Ferdinand's dog crate-"

"I don' wanna keep 'im inna cage. Cortez doesn' live inna cage."

"Cortez is a demon."

Cyan shrugged her shoulders. "Still. Ih seems too cruel." She released her hold on the raven and dug her hand into a cereal box. She let loose a handful next to the blanket bundled bird. It turned its head sideways, its beady eyes studying the food being offered to it. It looked up at all the giants staring down at it. It picked up one of the cereal pieces in its beak, but not anymore after that one was eaten.

"Did you name it?" Cyborg asked.

"Why bother?" said Noodle. "She'll have to release it when it's better, _right?_" she focused that last bit directly at Cyan.

The teen shrugged her shoulders again. "I don' wanna cawl 'im 'ih'. I've been...I've been cawlin' 'im Achilles."

Noodle gave her a funny look at the name. "Achilles? Why that name? That's supposed to be the warrior who was dipped in the river Styx by his ankle. That's where 'Achilles' heel' comes from."

"Right, an Achilles' 'eel is a deadly weakness. I got 'is wing 'urt an', fer now, ih's a deadly weakness if 'e were still out in te wild. Seems like an Achilles' 'eel ta me. So, t'ere yeh 'ave ih."

"Kill-eez," said Rory.

"Good boy," Noodle took a few steps backward and picked up a cookie jar they had. Rory squealed happily and accepted his tasty treat. As he munched on it, no one seemed to notice Achilles' rapt attention on the sugar cookie. The giants began talking again, but he didn't pay attention to them, only to the enticing object in the smallest giant's hand. Without warning, he leapt out of Cyan's loosening grasp and hopped across the table, inciting gasps and yells from the other giants. He grasped the remainder of the cookie in his beak and hopped away from the stunned child.

"Bad!" Rory shouted. "Bird take wot not his!" They had always wondered what would happen with Rory having grown up in a household with several accents speaking around him. Cyborg and Noodle shared their accent and 2D and Cyan shared theirs. Those four were the ones talking with him the most and, so far, he'd been speaking certain words in the two different accents, depending on who he heard say it. They hoped he would settled on one when he grew older. A mixture of Japanese and Cockney didn't really sound appealing.

"Real ace," Cyan watched the raven finish up the cookie. He had shifted his body around it to keep them from trying to take it, moving to the correct place whenever one of their hands reached toward him. Once he was done, he turned his head to face them, almost daring one of them to speak out against his actions. Rory only stared in horror at the cookie crumbs on the bird's beak. "Well..."

"Bad bird," the boy mumbled. He glared directly into Achilles' eyes, mentally challenging the raven to a battle of wits. The bird flicked his tail and turned his back to the boy, ending the battle on his terms even though he technically lost it.

"I 'fink 'e'll 'eal up jus' fine," Cyan re-wrapped the bird and picked him up. Noodle, Cyborg, and Rory watched her as she left the kitchen before anything else could go wrong. Achilles struggled in her grasp, demanding to be let down. She brought him up close to her own face. "Listen ta me, yew are gonna get roasted if yew don' calm down."

He studied her intensely, having half a mind to peck her nose. But something in her glare told many things. 'I'm not going to hurt you, but others might.' He settled in the giant's grasp, proving to her 'see? I'm behaving.' He realized there may be more to this situation than he originally thought. The smallest giant he could easily steal sweets from. Maybe this wasn't so bad after all.

"Is tha' ih?" Arthur heaved himself up the slope from his own house, spying Cyan standing in the backyard. "Is tha' the bird? Can I see ih?"

" 'E," she corrected him. "An' 'is name is Achilles 'cause I 'urt 'is wing."

Arthur ran a finger along the short feathers on Achilles' crest. The bird glared at him, but didn't try to peck him. "So..did'ja shoot 'im or step on 'im? Russel wosn' very specific on 'ow 'e got 'urt."

"I 'frew te gun on te ground an' ih shot upward. I 'fink 'e got 'urt from a branch fawlin' on 'im. Jus' a sprained wing, I 'fink." She unwrapped the bird enough to expose the hurt appendage. She gently grasped in between two fingers and stretched it out. Achilles squeaked loudly in pain, yanking his wing out of her grasp. "Ih cewd be broken. I got an appointment wiff te vet inna bit. Yew can come wiff."

"Yer dad takin' yeh?" He blinked in surprise when she replied 'no'. "Well, 'ow yeh gettin' there? 'Ow yeh gonna 'old on without dropping the bird?" She didn't speak a reply. She purposely strode back into the run and picked up her school backpack, emptied of books and homework. Achilles squawked loudly as he was lowered into the pack and it was zippered shut. Cyan then pushed her arms through the straps as carefully as possible.

"Simple as tha'," she stated. The raven's distressed cries echoed from inside the pack, along with a scraping sound from him scratching the fabric with his talons.

" 'E doesn' seem real 'appy."

" 'E can deal wiff ih. Come on." She had to move very slowly to ensure she didn't hurt Achilles even more. By the time she had gotten her bike out of the garage, Arthur had already walked back down the slope and was waiting at the bottom with his bike. Cyan swung her leg up over the seat, inciting a particularly loud shriek from the raven. A croak answered it and she looked up to see Cortez still sitting in the tree from before. " 'Ello Cory."

He turned his head sideways to stare at her with his beady eyes.

"I ain' doin' nuffin'," she insisted, only to be interrupted by another raven cry. "Oh...tha'," she chuckled nervously under the demon bird's gaze. "Wot? 'E needs 'elp, surely yew can' say no ta tha'? Yer...very, very, very distant cousins...right?" He only continued to glare, shifting on his perch. "Who needs yeh?" Cyan shifted her weight forward and coasted down the hill, Cortez' gaze still burning the back of her neck.

She and Arthur rode into Valleyridge together, collecting gawky stares as people searched for the thing making those strange noises. Her backpack was like a living thing itself in the way the animal inside moved around, desperate to find a way out of his imprisonment. After only about five minutes, she felt like elbowing the pack to permanently shut him up.

"Yew gotta a squeaky wheel or wot?" Sterling called from the parking lot of the Northridge Hotel as they rode past. "Sounds like wotever yeh ran over ain' dead yet!"

Cyan was holding back laughter by the time they parked their bikes in front of the veterinary building. Unfortunately, the space inside only made Achilles' cries echo even louder. The people waiting with their pets looked up with horrified expressions. Cyan just shrugged and checked in before sitting down with the backpack on her lap. The shrieks only got louder as time passed. Once the vet had called for her, she almost sprinted into the next room.

"Let's see wot we got 'ere," the vet cautiously reached into the pack, but Achilles was more than happy to jump out on his own. "Yer a spry li'le fella. So a tree branch fell on 'im?"

"Yeh," Cyan replied, shooting Arthur a look when he snorted.

The vet grasped Achilles' body with one hand and used the other hand to pull at the wing. The bird screamed loudly, but wasn't able to tug his wing free. The vet then let it go and it snapped back against the raven's body. "I don' think ih's broken, jus' sprained."

" 'Fank God," Cyan sighed.

"Yeh see 'e can still move ih an' ih does fold back, ih's jus' painful fer 'im ta do ih. Jus' let 'im rest up a bit but don' let 'im try ta fly till yer sure 'e can manage. Then yew can let 'im go." He lowered Achilles back into the backpack, an act that immediately started the caterwauls from the bird's throat. He tried to leap out again, but the pack was sealed shut.

"As long as 'e don' 'urt 'imself, 'e'll be jus' fine." The two scurried out of the office and grabbed their bikes, ready to start the journey home. "Shewdn' be too long, then yew can let 'im go." Arthur paused when Cyan didn't make any sort of reply. She had her leg swung over the middle bar, all she had to do was lift herself into the seat and place her feet on the pedals. But she didn't, she stood there, looking down at the pavement. "Cy? ...Yew don' wanna let 'im go, do yew?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Well...wot otheh kid cewd boast tha' t'ey 'ave a pet raven? Cortez ain' no pet," she reminded him. "But Achilles...I don' wanna see 'im fly off te firs' chance 'e gets."

"Florence Nightingale."

"Wot?"

Arthur nodded his head as he explained his words. "Florence Nightingale syndrome is when a 'ealer develops a special bond ta their patient. Yew saved Achilles, but now yew don' wanna let 'im go. Simple as tha'." He shrugged and started riding circles around her. "I think I see wot yer deal is. Yew want ta see if Achilles actually feels grateful fer wot yer doin'. Yer afraid tha' the moment yew let 'im go, 'e'll fly off an' never come back."

"Exactly." Cyan gripped her handle bars until her knuckles turned white. The raven's cries grew louder but she paid him no heed. "Do ya 'fink I got a job in nursin' or somefink? Or will I jus' imprison awl meh patients?"

"Yer too wild ta be a nurse."

* * *

><p>2D cored an apple, tossing the seeds into the garbage, then sliced up the remaining fruit. He licked his sticky fingers and the knife after depositing the slices in Cyan's hands. She continued to watch him for a little bit, just making sure he didn't slice his tongue open. But one learns from their past mistakes and he didn't cause injury.<p>

The apple slices were placed on the table, organized in a straight row in front of Achilles. Noodle had cut apart a rag and tied it around his upper body so that he couldn't strain the wing. He waddled and jumped around on the tabletop before focusing on the fruit. He just stared at it, not making a move toward the treat. Rory poked his head under Cyan's arm and grabbed one of the slices for himself, but as soon as he did so, Achilles shot forward and snatched it out of his fingers.

"That's some funny stuff!" Russel laughed as the bird hopped away. Cyan and 2D both chortled together, Rory being the only one who didn't find this funny one bit. No matter what food he had, the bird always wanted _that _food. It didn't work with anyone else, only Rory.

It had been three days since rescuing Achilles from Cyan's gun mishap. He was doing very well in the care of the family. And, though they didn't like to admit it lest it encourage Cyan to keep him, the adults were becoming very attached to the bird. He was very smart and could do little tricks for treats. He liked to ride around on Cyborg's Roomba and snatch tidbits placed on Ferdinand's head before the dog could react.

Even Rory, whose food was being constantly stolen, grew to have even terms with him. He now took a bit of whatever food he had, tossed it to Achilles, then wolfed down what remained. The only ones to disagree were Murdoc and Cortez. The Satanist was just down-right pissed that Cyan was caring for the injured bird instead of killing him, but Cortez was a different matter.

He couldn't speak, of course, but his point was made anyhow. He glared at Achilles with a passion, his grimy feathers always ruffled in anger. The family had it figured it was a matter of territory; Cortez was upset about another raven being here, but that theory disappeared soon enough. He just had some deep resentment towards Achilles and while the bird was currently inside entertaining his audience, Cortez sat in the run with Murdoc for company.

"Wot's with yew anyway?" the Satanist asked. "Yer sulky."

Cortez narrowed his beady red eyes at his master, the perfect gesture for, "Look who's talking!"

"Wotever," he growled, "I'm jus' pissed tha' the runt didn' kill 'im. Yeh kill yer child'ood when yeh kill an animal an' ih wos time fer 'er ta do ih! But_ no,_ she goes an' plays nurse with ih." He shook his head in disgust. "Wot's this world come ta when a teenager can' kill somethin'?"

Cortez pointedly ignored him. Murdoc could moan and groan all he wanted about Cyan skipping the 'killing a living thing' milestone she was apparently supposed to achieve under his supervision with a hunting rifle with questionable origins. Cortez had much bigger matters to attend to. His attitude with Achilles was purely of jealously. He watched Cyan play with that raven and felt a deep resentment boil within him that he couldn't do the same. The family believed that he stuck around because he liked them, and he did, but he also had another reason to stay.

He had to keep a close eye on Cyan and the Evangelist. Throughout history, there had been several different versions of Cyan's new position, 'the Speaker of Forgotten Souls'. They had many different names, but all the ones who could actually do it achieved this ability to speak with the Dead because the Evangelist served them. Though, one can possess the power of the Evangelist and yet not be able to speak with the Dead. To have that ability, one must possess certain traits as well, and Cyan didn't have those traits.

The girl was bright, but not a genius. She was a good leader, but couldn't go beyond her family and friends with this skill. She could be rash at some times and was quick to fight, even if it was to defend her friends and/or family. She was manipulative, she could be very selfish if the situation wasn't in her favor, these qualities do not a Speaker make. Cyan couldn't be one, she wasn't supposed to be one, but she had stumbled upon the power anyway. That power in the hands of one who was never meant to have it could be very dangerous.

The sound of the door opening shooed the two of them out of the run. Cyan stepped out with Achilles tucked under one arm. The rag tying his wings was gone now. The others followed her into the backyard. They were truly eager to see if the bird was healed up, but Noodle and 2D were secretly ensuring that if Achilles was ready to fly, Cyan wouldn't force him to stay.

The raven's eyes shot toward the sky and his body eagerly wiggled in Cyan's grasp. Her own eyes immediately became downcast at the bird's enthusiasm. He was just going to fly off and never come back. She would never know if her actions actually made a difference to him.

"C'mon love," 2D urged her.

"Let's see him fly," said Cyborg.

Cyan slowly held out her arms, Achilles clamped between her hands. She released him- and he shot off across the plains, back toward the Hills. That was that, he didn't care. Cyan blinked a few times to keep the tears back. She should have expected it. He wasn't like Cortez, he was just a wild animal.

"I'm sorry Cy," said Russel. "I know you wanted to see if he cared."

"Y-yeah," she exhaled slowly. "Ih's okay, at least 'e's betteh." The situation was okay, but was she? Maybe Arthur was right about the Florence Nightingale thing. She wished Joel and Primrose were visiting to get their opinions on this. Rosie would probably side with the adults because they were the authority figures, but Joel would think for about an hour before probably saying Achilles was better off in the wild. She would lose no matter what.

But she didn't lose hope after releasing him. She sat outside for hours on end for the next few days, even as the Autumn weather began to chill into Winter. She placed herself at the outdoor table, or a lawn chair, or her swing, and faced the Hills, searching for a tiny black speck that could possibly be her raven. She did this for several days, and even spent all of Saturday and Sunday outside. She just wouldn't accept that he was gone.

* * *

><p>"Do you want some lunch? Russel's making those fancy sandwiches." Noodle could honestly say she was a little saddened by Achilles' departure, yet she was slightly annoyed by the way Cyan was acting. She didn't want to be mean...but it was just a bird. He hadn't imprinted on humans when he was little, it was obvious he was going to leave as soon as they gave him a chance. It was Nature.<p>

Cyan shook her head. She wasn't hungry anyway. She stared straight ahead, making sure Rory was in her peripheral vision. He seemed okay that Achilles was gone, at least his food wasn't getting stolen anymore. He had his own sandwich in his possession and was happily munching away while Ferdinand drooled.

"Yeh cewd've avoided awl o' this if yeh'd jus' killed 'im," Murdoc said nonchalantly, leaning against the garage in the run.

"Leave her alone," Noodle hissed, going back inside. She knew he wouldn't though.

"Yeh'd 'ave the bird forever if yeh'd gotten ih stuffed," he growled in the girl's ear. "Now ih's alive an' miles away. Yer 'eart must be shattered-"

"Yew were right, okay? !" she shouted, spooking him enough to back up. "I shewd've killed te bird, yeh 'appy now? !"

Murdoc was too shocked to respond at first. He stood there, trying to collect his bearings before making a good comeback. He couldn't think of one. "I...I'm not sure wot I'm feelin'." He turned and walked off, still collecting his thoughts. Cyan wasn't challenging him anymore, she had just admitted he was right. He wasn't quite expecting that. It was almost sad.

After being left alone, Cyan turned her head to look at the very gun that should have ended Achilles' life. Murdoc had haphazardly leaned it against the house in the run. It stood there, mocking her. _I shewd've killed te bird, now I'm depressed 'cause 'e ran off. 'E wos jus' a dumb, wild animal. 'E can' feel 'fankful._

Ferdinand finally got a piece of Rory's sandwich, though it was the last bit. Still, he was happy with any tidbit. He trotted off with the already drool-sodden piece in his mouth, leaving Rory in the grass with his toys. A bitter wind blew up the slope, making Cyan shiver. Winter was almost upon them; in fact, Rory probably needed his jacket if he was going to stay out.

She stood up and went to get it, carefully avoiding being seen or heard by the adults. She just wanted to be left alone and knew 2D would start fussing when he saw her frowning face. Quite successfully, she retrieved one of her little brother's jackets from the hooks and walked back out. A shock of horror crashed through her before the adrenaline started pumping.

Rory was completely unaware as a thin shape slinked out from the small patch of trees. A fox was hunting her brother. Rory was fairly bigger than it, but the thing must have been desperate to take on a large prey. The boy could probably fight it off, but he definitely wouldn't escape unscathed.

"R-" she stopped herself. Her crying out would only frighten him and maybe make the fox approach even quicker if it felt its prey was getting away. Cyan instinctively grabbed the hunting rifle. _Well Misteh Muhdoc, ih lewks like yer gonna get yer wish afteh awl._

"Cyan?" Noodle and Cyborg had both walked into the run to see the teen aiming the rifle supposedly straight at her brother. The two sprang at her, tackling her to the dirt and ripping the gun from her grasp.

"Yew don' undehstand!" she yelled. "Rory's undeh attack! Fox! Fox!" The fighting drew Rory's attention to the run and he started to stand. The movement sped up the fox's attack for fear that it would leave hungry. "Run!" Cyborg jumped off Cyan, the gun now in her possession.

Two dark shapes shot down from above, striking the fox in the head and shoulder. It yipped and leaped upward to bite one of them out of mid-air, but the two darted out of its reach. Rory, finally realizing he was in danger, scrambled across the grass to the vicinity of his mother. The fox tried to chase him but Cortez and Achilles kept dive-bombing it.

Russel and 2D raced out of the house upon hearing the commotion. The two were about to spring into action, but Ferdinand rushed out from around the garage, baying loudly. The fox gave in to being bombarded by ravens and took off. Ferdinand followed until it was well across the plain before turning back to home, just making sure it was off his property.

"Good show!" Everyone's heads turned in unison to Murdoc, who was dramatically applauding.

"Yew mean yew could've stopped t'is at any point?" Cyan asked in disbelief. "Why didn' yew try ta 'elp?"

"Some people jus' like ta sit back an' watch the world burn, an' I'm one o' 'em." He shrugged and sauntered away, leaving the other dumbfounded.

"Achilles, yew came back!" Cyan cheered once she shook herself from her stupor. The raven perched on the house roof, Cortez standing a few feet away. "I knew yew cared! I jus' knew ih!"

"This doesn' explain anythin'," Russel interrupted.

"Yeah, 'e wos pro'lly jus' afteh Rory's sandwich," said 2D, certain that that was the answer to the bird's sudden return. "Now 'e'll pro'lly neveh leave."

And Cyan let them go on thinking that. Achilles had only come back to steal Rory's food-but she knew the truth. She knew he was smart, as ravens were very intelligent creatures. She knew she had made a difference. Rory had finished his sandwich long before Achilles showed up. But as long as the bird came back, as long as he returned, she was okay with him being free. She couldn't technically call him hers, but she was okay with the knowledge that he was thankful.

* * *

><p>I feel the need to straiten out a few facts just to be safe. Achilles is not Cyan's pet, he's sorta like a feral cat that always comes back because you feed it. And also, about Cyan's being The Speaker of Forgotten Souls. She doesn't have the traits to be one and she was never meant to be one. She wasn't prophesied into it or anything. She can only do it because the Evangelist serves her and that was because Murdoc gave her the charm and she convinced the Evangelist that she was a good person despite her flaws. If someone took away the charm, Cyan would be normal. These are not her powers, they're the Evangelist's.<p> 


	44. Bonus: Stylo's Grave

Stylo's Grave

Here it is, the last chapter of The Dream.

I don't own Gorillaz

* * *

><p>She didn't know how it had happened. Everything had been fine when they had first started out. A casual cruise, no harm being done in that, but now...She just couldn't believe it had gone bad so quickly. But there was no mistaking the pain in her face, the blood dripping from her nose, the moans of pain from her two passengers, the smoke rising from the smashed-in grille of Stylo. She whined lowly and shoved her shoulder against the driver's door. It refused to yield until she twisted in her seat, minding the deployed airbag, and slammed her feet against it.<p>

She tumbled out into the dirt and grass, gasping for air after coming down from her panic attack and from the increased high of adrenaline. She tried to get up but her some sharp stones dug into her hands and she fell on her side once more. The exhaustion weighed down like a concrete blanket. She just felt so _tired. _Her body ached horribly from the sudden impact.

But she couldn't sleep! She rolled onto her hands and knees again, successfully heaving her body upright. Her head spun from the hard strike it took and she convulsed as a result. Nothing came up...thankfully. She leaned against the shattered frame of Stylo, looking upward. Not at the sky, but at the towering edge of the ravine they had fallen into. A good chunk of the land had fallen after the car and there would no doubt be tire marks up above. What they had done couldn't be hidden away.

Her two passengers both stumbled out of the broken car. Both were trembling and needed the support of the walls of the ravine. They didn't dare touch the car, lest they somehow damage it anymore than what had already been done. They were all injured badly enough to need a hospital visit, but that would mean telling their parents and the doctors what happened. Then Murdoc might find out. They all shuddered in unison and agreed on one thing: no hospital. None of them would speak of what took place here today.

They grasped some tree roots that jutted from the crumbly walls and began a lengthy and painful climb. They fell multiple times on the ascent, sliding back down to the bottom of the car's grave. Finally, they all rolled onto flat ground, gasping from the effort, bodies shaking in exhaustion. The uncontrollable urge to shut their eyes and sleep washed over them once more, but she pressed onward toward home. Where else was there to go? What else was there to do?

It had all happened so fast...

* * *

><p><strong>Two Days ago...<strong>

A rapid beating on a car horn roused the family from breakfast and out onto the front lawn. Half of them still clad in pajamas, and some even had eating utensils in their hands or mouths, huddled on the grass as a black car drove smoothly into the driveway. Still a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro, but improved beyond anything they had imagined could be done on the old but lovable Stylo. A fresh coat of black paint made the body gleam. The bullet holes had been filled in then painted over. The star had been touched up, the wheels replaced, the seats refurnished, new signal lights in place, it almost wasn't the same car!

"Like ih?" Murdoc stepped out of the cab, slamming the door shut. He leaned over the roof, smirking at their expressions. "Beauty ain' she? Ih didn' cost me a thing!"

"Wot did yew do?" Cyan couldn't hide the small tone of anguish in her voice. She _loved _that car! She washed it, she doted on it, she dreamed of driving it, but as it was. This just wasn't the Stylo she remembered.

"Some o' the kids at the school needed a big project ta pass their shop class," the Satanist explained. "I let 'em fix up Stylo. They pass an' I get the 'ottest car around!" He ended his sentence with a loud laugh of triumph. "Yeh wanna touch ih? Yew cewd get 'igh off o' this beauty."

"You're crazy," said Noodle, but she stepped off the grass to run a hand down the hood of the car. "They did an amazing job. I'm impressed." Cyborg came forward to touch the car as well, her eyes widening as she recalled what it looked like before and compared it to what she saw before her. She was too amazed for words. Soon, 2D, Russel, and even Rory came forward to admire the car. Only Cyan hung back.

"Wot's wrong, love?" 2D asked. "Ih's amazin', come feel."

The teen firmly shook her head. "I refuse ta."

"Wot's yer problem?" Murdoc growled. "Come an' touch meh car! Jus' don' inhale too much, the paint fumes might kill yew." Cyborg yanked Rory away from the car after hearing this. She glared at the vehicle that dare try to do harm to the boy. A gun barrel slid out from between her lips. " 'Ey!" Murdoc blocked the barrel with his hand. "Yew put a scratch on this car an' I'll stuff the garden 'ose down yer throat!"

"It's jus' a car," said Russel.

"Jus' a car? ! This car is one o' meh most prized possessions!"

"What if someone stole it and drove it into the lake? What would you do?" asked Noodle.

"Or if someone hits it?" said Russel.

"Or if a giant meteor plunges from te sky an' turns ih inta a pile o' scrap metal, t'en aliens beam ih aboard t'eir UFO an'-"

"Shut up faceache!"

2D grinned in response. "Ih's very nice. Jus' make sure te birds don' poop on ih." He turned around to go back inside. He had seen his share of amazing cars and after the first moments of awe, one grew used to seeing them. It was the same with any topic really, but, somehow, Murdoc never ceased to amaze them with the stuff he bought, found, or stole. It was amusing how odd things happened to them as well. His first Winnebago got stolen, the Geep was blown up in 19-2000 (they got it repaired, but he was still pissed), Stylo got stolen (by them, but still), Plastic Beach blew up, and the Satanist himself had burned Kong down.

"Oh don' worry," Murdoc snatched the hunting rifle he had tried to gift to Cyan. "Any bird tha' comes close is gettin' blown ta kingdom come."

Cyan continued to stare blankly at the car even after everyone else had gone inside. She felt oddly empty. Stylo was her chariot, it had delivered her from Plastic Beach and to the hospital. It had been her steed to save her brothers and sisters. But it had done all of that as it had been. It was old and beaten, this car just wasn't the same as the one in her memories and it troubled her greatly. She wanted to learn to drive in Stylo. She even dreamed of owning it maybe someday.

The girl finally stepped forward and brushed her fingers against the hood of the car. She could see her reflection in the paint. She peeked at the inside, seeing all new upholstery grace the seats. She wondered what it would feel like against her skin. _Knock off tha' 'finkin'! _She scolded herself. _Yes, te car is ace, but ih will neveh compare ta wot ih once wos. _

"Oh baby!" Arthur came up the slope, his face lit up in awe. "Look at tha' car!"

"Yeah," she hung her head, "ih's Stylo."

The teen stopped short. "Tha's Stylo? 'Ow much did tha' cost yer family?"

"Nuffink," she spun around and started back inside, but halted in the run. "Misteh Muhdoc got ih free an'...an' 'e didn' even ask us."

Arthur traced his finger along the car's body. "Well, ih's 'is ain' ih? Legally an' awl. I wewd think 'e wewdn' 'ave ta ask yer permission if ih belongs ta 'im."

"Well, 'e still shewd 'ave!" she burst out. Arthur reeled back in surprise. "Sorry Art, but t'is is really tearin' me up." She left him there to admire the car she now despised. Inside, Murdoc was still going on about the new features of Stylo even though the others were just humoring him now. Honestly, they didn't care. To them, it was just a car and nothing else. They didn't even drive it all that much, it was just taking up space in the driveway now.

Cyan didn't pause for a listen like she normally would have done just so that she could shake her head at the Satanist's antics. She didn't feel irritated or angry, she felt sad. If someone took the Evangelist away from her, she would feel crushed. But that was different on the level that Evangelist was a living being and Stylo was just a car. It couldn't feel, it couldn't think, it was an inanimate object, but she loved it nonetheless. The teen turned away from the conversations going on in the kitchen. She escaped to her room and remained locked away until Joel and Primrose arrived for their weekend visit.

The two were maturing physically in bounds that Cyan couldn't achieve just yet. Joel was slowly creeping up on Noodle's height (he liked to stand next to her, observing his own growth) and had asked 2D on shaving tips their last visit. Cyan could tell he wasn't the best at it just yet, seeing as how he had a few sparse hairs on the left side of his lip and a cut on the right. His voice cracked with every other sentence he said, drawing Murdoc's taunts. One unfortunate factor about the teen's puberty bringing out the Satanist's jeers was his constant joking about Joel being a jaffa.

"Bet'cha 'e'll never get ih up," he would sneer. " 'E'll never get laid."

"Murdoc," Cyborg spoke up in response, "just because Joel is unable to produce sperm, doesn't mean he can't feel attraction. Scientifically speaking, Joel is completely normal except for the simple fact that he cannot have children." One could always rely on Cyborg for a scientific explanation free of opinion.

Primrose seemed to be responding positively to her maturation. Her body was growing together quite nicely. Her blue hair, once a burden, was constantly being put through experimental styles to test what looked good and what didn't. Her clothing was becoming more fashionable, but still within reason to her personality. She was certainly growing into a beauty.

"I think I'm in love," Joel caressed Stylo's wheel through the open window.

"Yeh eveh read 'Equus'?" said Cyan. "I'd be careful if I were yew."

"Wot am I gonna do, stab the car's gas tank with yer knife?" Even with his joking tone, he backed away warily but refused to step outside arm's length of the Camaro. "Yer lucky, yew get ta stare at this car awl day, every day."

"Wewd yew cawl tha' lucky?" she growled. "I used ta swoon at t'is car, now I'm sickened by te very sight." To prove her point, she turned in her chair so that the vehicle was completely out of her sight. "I wonted ta learn ta drive in tha' car."

"Bad idea," Primrose murmured. "I don' think the airbags work." Because she was so quiet, Primrose made a wonderful a listener. One of Murdoc's rants led her to believe that some of the car's features weren't up to date or even functional. But maybe the crash that didn't deploy the airbags wasn't a big enough event to activate them, she was too fearful to ask and Murdoc liked to over exaggerate. Either way, she wasn't getting back in that car unless someone responsible was behind the wheel.

* * *

><p>"Wot?"<p>

Cyan never recalled having regular sleeping problems. There was one time that she had accidently put the wrong pillow at the top of her pillow pile and her mind wouldn't settle that night. She always had Evangelist around her neck and never felt a reason to fear sleep. But maybe her mind was telling her something.

_"You're upset. The car you loved has been completely changed. It's not the same. You cannot rest until you do something." _There was nothing to do about it and normally she just would have said "Fuck yew" and gone to find some sleeping medication. She liked to take NyQuil because it knocked her out flat for the night. Though sleep could be a fickle thing some nights, she never remembered having problems with sleep walking.

Yet here she was on her wrap-around balcony overlooking the driveway. It was the cry of Cortez that had woken her, and she was eternally grateful, especially considering that one foot was rested on the banister. Almost like she was going to jump.

"Great, now I'm suicidal." She couldn't be exactly sure about that though. She had always figured she'd resort to cutting herself before jumping from the garage- not that she had ever felt suicidal before. Cyan had always held a desperate desire to live, she wouldn't throw it all away over a stupid car. _T'en why am I out 'ere?_

Cortez shifted his weight back and forth. This had certainly been a close call. Achilles had spotted Cyan's almost leap-of-faith and had rooted himself to the spot to watch. Cortez didn't blame him for not doing anything about it, he wasn't a demon, just a raven. He wasn't intelligent enough to realize what was happening. He probably wanted to see if humans had finally decided to fly instead of walk everywhere.

A bitter breeze made Cyan shiver. "Brr, ih's cold out 'ere. See ya in te mornin' birdies...'opefully." It seemed she knew what she was doing even in her sleep. Joel slept inside the house, but Primrose shared her bedroom and the young teen was fast asleep. Cyan couldn't help but feel a bubble of pride concerning her ninja abilities while asleep.

But while the blunette walked back to bed with a puffed-out chest, Cortez' chest was puffed for a different reason. Cyan had never had problems with sleepwalking, then suddenly she almost takes a flying leap onto Stylo? Something had upset the natural balance in this house. The demon bird left his raven companion sitting on the roof and glided down to the Winnebago. If anyone had an answer for this problem, it was Murdoc.

"Wot d'yew wont?" the Satanist grumbled upon opening the door to stop the rapid clicks of Cortez' beak against the hard material. The demon bird ruffled his feathers to show his anger. "Wot? Why are yew mad? Wot did I do?" Cortez flicked his head in the direction of the driveway. Then he spread his wings high above his head, curling them inward like...like devil horns.

"Why does no one 'ave faith in me?" said Murdoc. "The stupid kids asked ta fix ih up fer their class. I didn' make another deal down below. Now outta meh Winnie!" He grasped Cortez' little body in both hands and thrust him out into the cold night air, slamming the door shut after he was out. The bird couldn't growl in his current form, but he managed to let out a guttural wheeze. He wasn't going to transform just so he could vent his true anger. So if Murdoc was indeed telling the truth, then Cyan's problem with Stylo was her own.

Cortez froze on the spot. _Murdoc _telling the truth? He'd believe that after fire rained from the heavens. After first taking a cautious look up, Cortez lifted himself to the driveway, perching on the hood of the car. He waddled around in a circle, making sure his claws didn't leave marks. Forget about truly being a demon, Murdoc would eviscerate him with his bare hands and a toothpick.

Nothing responded from his walking. Even he expected the hood to fly up and splatter his guts all over the windshield. If there was nothing supernatural about this car, then Murdoc had, indeed, been telling the truth. Now all that remained was to decipher Cyan's strange behavior.

* * *

><p>"Are you feeling okay?"<p>

Cyan stared blankly ahead. She was seated at the table, chin resting on her arms, back curved with her upper body leaned over the tabletop. Her ocean eyes were wiped clean of any thought to anyone outside her mind; but, in reality, her thoughts were swimming. She hadn't slept last night or manage to fall asleep the night before that after waking up mid-jump.

Something was wrong and she knew it, but she couldn't fathom why it bothered her so much. So Stylo got a make-over, what was the big deal? She told herself that, but her mind kept bringing the subject back up no matter how far down she stuffed it into the recesses of her subconscious. Something always routed around and brought it back.

"Hellooooo?" Noodle waved her hand in front of the teen's face, finally snapping her out of her deep funk.

"Huh? Wot?"

"Are you okay?" The woman sank down into the chair next to her, concern written all over her face.

"Yeah...at least I 'fink so." Cyan rubbed her tired eyes, but no amount of rubbing would remove the dark rings. She sighed deeply and yawned. "I've been 'avin' trouble sleepin'."

"Stylo?"

"Yep. I..." she stared at her fingers while she wiggled them. "I jus' don' know wot's wrong. Ih's so weird."

"The human mind is a very strange creature in itself. Why do we do some things, whether they be voluntary or not? More and more people are developing mind-related problems these days. Or, at least, that's what all those commercials about charities asking for money are saying. Do you think it's another phobia?" Cyan gave her a wide-eyed are-you-crazy? look. "You'd be surprised what people are afraid of. Anthrophobia is fear of flowers, Arithmophobia is fear of numbers, Heliophobia is fear of the sun."

"An'...yew know t'ese...why?"

Noodle shrugged. "Because it's an interesting subject. It's amazing what some people are paranoid about."

"Awl I got is Claustrophobia." A thought suddenly occurred. " 'Ey, is t'ere such a 'fing as fear o' cars?"

"Maybe...hang on." Noodle stood up and left the room. She came back not even a minute later, Cyborg close behind her. The two sat down, one on each side of Cyan. "Cyborg, is there such a phobia for cars?"

A faint hum reverberated from inside the robot as she ran a search. Her eyes twitched slightly and settled once she apparently found the answer. "Amaxophobia is the fear of riding in car." She paused as Cyan shook her head. The teen knew that wasn't the answer, she had no problem with cars, just with Stylo. "Okay...Motorphobia, the fear of automobiles. Ochophobia, fear of vehicles." She seemed to be about to list off some more, but suddenly halted. "Wait, here's something that may explain the situation better than the others. I believe Cyan to not have a fear of cars, more rather Cenophobia...the fear of new things or ideas."

Cyan gaped at her. A fear of new things? She embraced change, but in small doses. She didn't completely fear things being different, but she was wary as they happened. "I...I don' 'fink so."

"Cy, it would explain a lot," Noodle murmured.

"No ih wewdn'," she firmly shook her head.

Noodle shrugged and stood up to leave. Cyborg remained, even after her twin had left. She sat in the chair, eyes unfocused. Suddenly a smile spread across her face. "Phobophobia, fear of phobias. How ironic." After stating this, she stood up to leave just as 2D came in.

" 'Ey t'ere! Wot we talkin' about?"

"Cetaphobia," she replied before walking about completely, leaving poor 2D frozen in fear on the spot, his eyes snowy white.

"Y-y-yew w-weren' r-really talkin' 'bout wh-whales, right?" he stammered as he managed to un-freeze himself and creep toward the table in a weird jerking motion. He almost collapsed in the chair beside her, sweat already starting to bead on his face.

_Wow, I neveh realized 'ow much Da' is scared o' whales. I mean...I knew, but t'is is serious business. _She absentmindedly began to wonder if that was how she acted in tight spaces. "We were talkin' 'bout phobias."

"Oh," he visibly calmed down. "So...not whales specifically?" Cyan shook her head and he calmed completely, going limp in his chair. "Okay. So why te talk o' phobias? Yeh got anotheh one?"

"Cyborg an' Noodle 'fink so, but I don'. Tha' robot 'finks I got Cenophobia, fear o' changes. Can yew believe tha'?" 2D kept his lips sealed shut. He didn't want to admit it, but, in his mind, it was very believable. Cyan took change in stride, but if the changing thing didn't go like she wanted, she would manipulate it until she was comfortable again. He'd seen it happen in various ways.

"Well love..." he trailed off, more sweat building as his daughter studied him. "Um..." he sprang to his feet and bolted out of the room. Cyan watched him go, not even making an effort to catch him. She wouldn't be able to anyway. He was eighty percent leg and actually had a lot energy for someone his age and background. How old was he now? Cyan shut her eyes and figured the math. She was born when he was twenty-five, she was fourteen now. Her father was thirty-nine.

_Tha's actually not too bad. Why'd I 'fink 'e wos oldeh? Maybe ih's awl te gray 'air. _Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a car starting up and driving away. _Yew coward... _

" 'Ey," Joel walked in, "Dad seemed pretty eager ta get outta 'ere."

"I figured as much. 'E went ta te shop?"

"Pro'lly."

"Noodle an' Cyborg wiff 'im?"

"Yeah, an' Rory."

_Okay, ih's a normal day. Da's at te shop wiff 'em, Misteh Muhdoc an' Russel are 'ere wiff us. Normal day, ferget about Stylo. Let's 'ave some fun. _She scooted her chair back and started getting up, but a rapid tapping on the glass side door made her freeze. Sterling had his face pressed against the glass, his breath fogging it up. He smiled and waved wildly once he was able to see them.

"Lemme in!" came his muffled plea. Joel and Cyan looked at each other, wondering if that was the right decision. Sterling was a good boy through and through, but he seemed very excited today. That was either really good or really bad. So there was a fifty-fifty chance of the result of whatever was going to happen today. Was it wise to even try? "Lemme in!"

"Fine," Cyan decided to take that chance. After all, what was the worst that could happen? Sterling burst inside once the door was cracked open. He slipped on the floor, but managed to retain balance as he turned to face them.

"Tha' car is a masterpiece!"

Cyan's shoulders slumped at the subject he had decided to bring up. "Yeah, I guess ih is."

"Can I... do yeh think I cewd go sit in ih?" he asked, wringing his hands in his eagerness. "I jus' wanna feel the upholstery an' stuff. Surely, tha's not bad?"

"Wot if Murdoc sees us?" said Joel.

" 'E's in te shaggin' wagon, we shewd be fine," Cyan answered, drawing strange looks from the two boys. "Te Winnebago," she explained.

"But 'e cewd come out at any time," Primrose said, peering over the stair banister. "So much yellin'...yeh better not."

"We'll be real quiet, 'kay?" said Sterling. "I'll take the fall. Besides, 's'long as we leave nothin' be'ind, 'e won' ever notice. Y'know, fingerprints, butt prints, anythin' really." He jabbed his thumb in the direction of the door. "Lead the way?"

Joel stared at them with his unblinking blue eyes. His sisters could tell by the look of his face that he was processing thoughts, something he wasn't the best at, unfortunately. But give him enough time and he'll amaze you. "I'm not takin' part in this," he finally spoke, ending the tension and awkwardness. "The last thing I wanna do is give Murdoc another reason ta 'ate me."

"Oh, 'e don' 'ate'cha," said Cyan. "Ih's jus' 'is way, y'know? 'E still makes fun o' me fer bein' small, an' Rosie fer bein' shy, an' Da' fer bein' thick, an' Russel fer bein' ovehweight, an'-"

"I get the picture," he responded. "But awl o' tha' cewd be changed if yew tried 'ard enough. None o' tha' is set in stone. My con-di-shun's permanent. Murdoc's awlways gonna make fun o' me fer bein' a jaffa."

She scoffed in reply. "No offense, but I don' see Da' crackin' open a book or Russel goin' fer a jog." He chose not to reply to this, but he did stiffen his body to prove he wasn't going anywhere. "Fine t'en, wait 'ere, we'll be back in a jiff." She and Sterling left at a quick pace to display their eagerness, but Primrose followed at a much slower, more cautious speed. She still didn't think this was the best idea at hand, but it was surprising in the least that she was going at all. Joel suddenly felt betrayed and alone.

_I wonder..._he shut his eyes tight, exploring the recesses of his mind. _I wonder wot goes through meh sisters' 'eads? _He turned and headed toward the stairs, ready to go watch television or play video games in order to concrete his alibi in case anything could possibly go wrong. And in his experience with this family, things went wrong a lot. A sharp pain from his chest connecting with the banister reminded him that he needed to open his eyes before moving. _I wonder wot goes through _my _'ead too?_

Meanwhile, the other three forgot all level of wariness as soon as the laid their eyes on the prize of the driveway. Primrose still managed to retain some cautiousness and first checked around the edge of the garage for any sign of the car's owner. The Winnebago was silent and still. Her breath caught in her throat and she crept closer. The Winnie was never that calm when Murdoc was inside! She picked up a stray cinder-block for a step stool so she could peer into the window. She managed to spy a mass passed out on the bed.

_Okay..._ she exhaled slowly. Murdoc was most likely temporarily comatose from whatever it was he swallowed or injected into his body. Even after he woke up, he most likely wouldn't notice any blemish on the car right away. They would have time to clean up whatever was left behind while he passed the poisons through his system. Primrose smiled softly and climbed down, returning to the driveway where her sister and friend were already breaking unspoken rules.

"Stop tha'!" she shouted as loudly as she dared, running to the car and yanking at Sterling's waving legs. The teen had dived head-first into the open passenger side window, not quite getting in the first leap. "Cy, 'elp!" Before the two blunettes could yank him out, Sterling pulled himself all the way into the car, snickering in his victory.

He had clambered into the backseat before they could open the door. The two sisters growled in annoyance, each of them moving to one side of the car. Together, they opened the back doors and dived forward to catch Sterling in middle. At least, that was the idea. There was little chance he would be able to escape back up front, and even if he did, it would only be partial and they could grab and drag him. But the shared pain in their faces and the grinning face on the floor of the car said that the plan had failed.

"Wot are yew mad at me fo'?" Sterling complained as the irritated girls dragged him out by the legs.

"Yew jumped in te car!" Cyan hissed through her teeth. "We can touch, we can look, but be careful!" She yanked one last time and left him on the pavement; not that he minded anyhow. In fact, he rolled around in the dust and little sharp rocks before getting to his feet. "Yew can sit an' be'ave."

"I don' know the meanin' o' those words." But he dusted himself off before climbing in the back seat again. " 'E better not leave this car in direct sunlight, the leather back 'ere will sting like Satan with 'eart burn."

"I don' think we need ta worry about sunlight at the moment," said Primrose, looking up at the gray Winter sky. If anything, they needed to worry about the effect of ice and snow on the car. Murdoc would probably shove Cyborg and her charging station out of the garage just to make room to store the car during the snowy weather.

"Turn on the radio!" Sterling stretched himself to the front, reaching for the keys still in the ignition.

" 'Ands off!" Cyan climbed into the driver's seat, shoving his reaching hand away. _Why wewd Muhdoc leave te keys 'ere? 'Cause 'e's an absentminded drunk, _she answered for herself. She grasped the keys herself, meaning to pull them out and set them on the dashboard, somewhere the Satanist would hopefully see them, but she instead turned them all the way in the ignition slot, not only turning on the radio, but also awakening the car. It roared loudly, bringing a sense of thrill Cyan hadn't felt in a long time.

"Turn ih off!" Primrose whispered, trembling hands held against her mouth.

"Is 'e passed out?" Cyan asked.

"Yes, but-"

"T'en 'e won' be up fer a while." She pressed down on the gas pedal, grinning widely when the engine revved. Sterling was the only one sharing her excitement, leaning back in the seat and shutting the door. Primrose, looked around for any sign of Russel, hoping the man would materialize and stop this. She climbed in the passenger seat and shut the door behind her.

"Listen ta reason Cy, please? Yer fourteen; legally, yew shewdn' be in tha' seat."

"Since when 'as t'is family eveh followed te law?" she asked in response. "Besides, I'll 'ave ta learn ta drive sometime, why not now?" Her hand fell to the gear shift.

"Now wait a minute-" but Primrose's plea was silence in the split second that Cyan shifted to reverse and hit the gas pedal. Both Primrose and Sterling fumbled for seat belts before this drive could become serious.

Cyan, seeing their apprehension, decided to calm their fears. She shifted to drive, but coasted down the slope before pushing lightly on the gas pedal and casually cruising down the road. Ferdinand, who had been napping behind the garage, lifted his head at the sound of the engine. He raced out front, barking loudly. As the Camaro grew smaller and smaller in the distance, three sets of eyes watched it depart. One of the owners didn't truly comprehend what was happening, but that was because he was an ordinary raven. The other two, one red, one blue, were uneasy as the car disappeared from their sight.

"Jo! Cy! Rosie! Someone!" the teen flinched and dropped to the floor after staring out the window, crawling to the edge of the second floor balcony. "There ya are."

" 'Ello Russel," he replied. 'Wot's up?"

"Was that Stylo an' Ferdinand I jus' heard?" the man asked, gesturing toward the door.

"Yeah..."

"So Muds is out, I take it? Right, I'm makin' a run to the store. You three'll be alright on yo' own, right?"

"We'll be fine, Russ."

" 'Kay." And he left, unaware that Murdoc was still passed out in his Winnebago, that Joel was the only one of the children still here, and that his sisters, along with Sterling, were on an illegal joy ride. He wondered if he should raise the alarm. Was there a reason to? They would come back. The car may be a bit misaligned when they parked it, but nothing would be wrong with it. Everything was going to be okay.

Stylo was kept at a cruising pace, easy for Cyan to control. She had to adjust the seat forward in order to reach the pedals and see over the dash board without straining her back or neck. At this time of day, most everyone was at work, so the back roads were completely cleared. Only those who had weekends off would notice them, but they were most likely relaxing on their time off. A Camaro driving by wouldn't bother them.

Cyan, now completely at ease behind the wheel, pulled into an empty driveway and proceeded to back out. " 'Ey Rosie, can I ask yeh a question?" Her sister silently nodded, already aware of what was going to be said judging by the smug look on Cyan's face. " 'Ave we crashed yet?"

"Yer pretty good fer yer first time drivin'," said Sterling from the back seat. He was already sixteen and familiar with road rules and cars. He was surprised indeed at Cyan's skills behind the wheel.

"Correct." She turned the car around and started back the way they came. Primrose exhaled as the house came into view, but let out a cry when they passed it. "Yeh want out?" Cyan asked her terrified sister.

The offer was tempting, but Primrose stayed put as the car rolled onward past the house. All that was back here were more houses and maybe a self-made country road. Maybe that was what Cyan had in mind for their little drive. Whether or not Stylo could handle it was about to be discovered. Cyan had to stop and turn the wheel, inching forward slowing just to make sure she was taking the turn right.

"Y'know," she stated, "maybe drivin' Stylo wosn' te best idea." Primrose felt her heart soar, until her sister continued. "Ih's an American car! Te driveh an' passengeh seats are backwards. So confusin'."

The Camaro bounced on the uneven road covered with rocks and potholes. The road itself was easy to see as several wheels had flattened the grass. They weren't exactly positive on where this specific road led to, but they could turn at any moment. For now, it was extreme exploring. The passengers bounced up and down along with the car. Sterling even went high enough to bang his head on the roof.

"Keep wotch fer potholes," he said. "Tha' 'urt," he rubbed his sore head and looked up at the roof, making sure he hadn't left a dent.

"Wotch ih!" Primrose squeaked as they hit another, making the car groan as it rebounded.

Cyan reached for the brake with her foot, but instead hit the gas. The car accelerated sharply, snapping their necks back. She felt panic rise in her chest and fumbled for the actual brake. She connected with it just as the right front wheel hit a large, deep pothole. The front of the car jerked as the tire exploded, a sound that made the teens all scream in surprise. Cyan slid down in front of the seat, scrambling for the wheel to climb back up and steer them to safety.

"Cy!" Primrose screamed, helping her sister back up. But instead of letting her steer right away, Primrose reached across and snapped the driver's seatbelt in place. Cyan grasped the wheel, straining to turn it. They were off the makeshift road now, flattening the long grass as the car rolled along. They didn't see the great crack in the land. It was hidden by a small rise that Stylo climbed easily, then toppled over. They fell into the ravine.

* * *

><p>Joel yelled as fingers knotted themselves into his hair then yanked cruelly. He was dragged out of his seat and across the floor, laid out on the carpet so his attacker could plant his foot on his prey's chest. Joel kept his eyes sealed shut, hoping with all his might that Murdoc would spare him. But he knew that the Satanist did as he pleased. It didn't matter if he looked pathetic or haughty.<p>

"Yew better tell me why _my _car isn' in the driveway at this moment!" Murdoc shouted, pressing down on the poor teen's ribs. The Satanist looked like a mess after his session with drugs and alcohol, but that just contributed to his fearful countenance. At this very moment, Joel had never felt more afraid in his life. More than when the bullies advanced on him, even more than when the Boogieman had transformed the Kong landfill into a whirlpool and tried to kill them all.

"Answer me, yew li'le fucker!"

"I can' breathe!" he gasped in response. Murdoc growled in distaste, but lifted his foot so the teen could gasp for air. "I...I didn' see wot 'appened," he panted. "I didn' see ih leave." Distance yourself from the crime scene. Joel probably couldn't prove that he'd been up here the whole time without forensics and such. In fact, he had become enamored with his game and forgot exactly how much time had passed. Russel hadn't returned yet, but Murdoc was awake. "Wot time is ih?"

"Ih's time yew tell me the fuckin' truth before I crush yer windpipe!" Joel screamed as Murdoc actually reached forward and fumbled for his neck. "WHERE IS MY CAR? !"

"Cy went fer a ride!" he cried out, scrambling away as soon as he was released. Murdoc looked genuinely dumbstruck at the thought of the little girl managing to steal his car and go for a ride. Meanwhile, Joel curled up against the banister and trembled, like his father before him in many situations similar. He felt absolutely horrible for selling out his sister, but he wanted to live to see another day.

"Yew," Murdoc yanked him to his feet, this time by his arm, "yer comin' with me." He dragged the teen down the stairs and threw him against the kitchen counter. Joel whimpered from the pain in his pelvis that would surely leave a bruise. "Call yer fuckin' dad an' tell 'im wot 'is damn daughter's done!" The teen fumbled for the kitchen phone, trembling so badly that he mis-dialed twice before getting the right number. He held the phone to his ear, his harsh breath echoing in the receiver.

"Hello?" said a feminine voice. It was either Cyborg or Noodle, but he had little time judging by the menacing Satanist that towered over him.

"I need Dad. I-I need 'im now."

"Joel? This is Noodle, what's wrong?"

"Yew guys gotta come back now or else yeh won' find meh body!" He dropped the phone on the counter and made a break for it, but Murdoc tripped him and brought him crashing to the floor. He planted a foot on the teen's back and grabbed the phone.

"Cyan jus' stole Stylo an' ran off."

"What? !"

"Tell the faceache 'e better come 'ome an' find 'er before I do, 'cause if I do find 'er before 'e does, 'e ain' never gonna find 'er body."

"Murdoc, you leave the kids alone!" But her orders went unheeded. The phone was left on the counter, her frantic cries echoing out in a tinny voice until she hung up on her end. Murdoc and Joel were already outside, looking out on the road for any sign of the car. The teen let out a wheeze, sinking to the grass. He was too hurt to continue standing, pain radiated from his pelvis in pulses, his ribs ached from the pressure of a Cuban Heel.

"C'mon!" he was yanked back into a standing position. "Now which way did yeh seem 'em go?"

"Wot'chu mean 'them'?" he spat back.

"Yer the only one 'ere, fuckface," Murdoc hissed in response. "Now tell me."

"I saw 'em go tha' way," he pointed down the slope where he had seen the car depart earlier, unaware that it had turned and come back this way. Should Murdoc had taken his word for it, despite it being true, he would have spent hours searching in that direction, turn up empty-handed, then take it out on the poor teen. Fortunately, someone who could account for seeing the car return made his way up the hill.

"Yer car, right?" Arthur asked. "I saw ih go by tha' way, but then ih came back."

"Tryin' ta pull a fast one, eh?" Murdoc twisted Joel's arm behind his back.

"Stop tha'!" Arthur choked out, shocked to see such a blatant display of violence. "They went past the 'ouse an' inta the roads back there," he pointed in the other direction the road went in. "Joel saw 'em go this way, but didn' see 'em come back. Don' 'urt 'im fo' ih. I'm sure if we ask around, someone will say they saw ih."

Murdoc stared at the teen with hate-filled eyes, but he released Joel anyway. He fell back to the grass, gasping in pain with tears running down his face. Arthur dropped beside him, helping him sit up. "I 'urt so badly." Ferdinand raced out from the trees, jumping and barking at Murdoc.

"Once the others get 'ome, they'll straiten Murdoc out," Arthur whispered back to him. Yes, when the other adults returned, they would see the damage done to Joel and want recompense for his injuries. But Joel couldn't help but feel shameful of the idea. Was this how his father had felt in the past? Enduring the pain and waiting for someone else to make Murdoc pay for it? It was horrible and degrading.

Without thinking, Joel pushed Arthur away and got to his feet. His blue eyes, normally calm and comforting, were burning with a rage fit for demons. He'd been picked on his whole life. He wouldn't be the victim anymore. He would stand up and prove that no one was going to bully him anymore, no matter who they were. In a stumbling pace, he approached the unsuspecting Murdoc from behind. "Yew bastard."

"Wot?" the Satanist spun around only to be swiftly felled by a punch that Joel knew was the only one he could throw. One good punch was all he had in him, so he made it the best he could. One good hit could end it all, end the bullying, the name-calling, the pain. He would feel pride. And so, with that one good punch, fueled by his fear, pain, and hatred, Murdoc crumpled and fell, his head striking the pavement.

He didn't get back up.

* * *

><p>And so here they were. Tired, injured, and barely stumbling through the long grass in order to find assistance. Stylo was dead, buried headfirst in its grave. A grave that they had barely escaped in joining it in. They had almost given up, but they had climbed out. They were alive, but not for long if Murdoc found them. No matter the injury, double the pain would be inflicted for the damage to the car. And then more the next day. And the day after that.<p>

Primrose collapsed in her exhaustion, refusing the continue. The grass nearest to her face blew gently in accordance to her inhales and exhales. Great gasps of air turned to shallow breathes. Her eyes started to slide shut. Should this take place, there was little chance she would get back up. And there was no way Cyan was going to leave her behind, all alone in the middle of the plains. She wanted nothing more than to lie down in the grass and sleep just as her sister had done. Sterling looked even worse, his eyes unfocused, his swaying body.

"C'mon Rosie," Cyan tried to get her sister to stand, but Primrose had turned into deadweight. She held the unconscious blunette by one arm, shaking her to see if the movement would wake her. Sadly, no. _Wot do we do? _They couldn't go home, not until 2D and Noodle returned and could hold back Murdoc from twisting her neck until it faced backward. But they couldn't go to the hospital because then Murdoc could target them, then their occupancy would shift to the morgue. "We gotta go."

"Jus' give ih up," Sterling whispered, falling to his knees. "Jus' let the search dogs find us."

"We can' give up!" she insisted. "Get up, yew two! Get up! We gotta find 'elp!" Fresh adrenaline started coursing through her, empowering her to fight till the end. She yanked the two back up, waking Primrose up in the process. The two stared in surprise. "I...I got an idea. We'll go ta Art's, 'e'll 'elp us."

"Do yeh think?" Sterling asked. "Lately, I've been gettin' the feelin' tha' 'e don' like me too much. Yew an' Rosie'll 'ave no problem."

" 'E'll 'elp us," she repeated. "Now c'mon." The two sighed heavily before following her through the tall grass that clung to their ankles and threatened to trip them. They didn't know how long it took to get back to familiar ground. All three of them were dragging their feet, stumbling with every other step. They slipped past the house, half-hoping that someone trustworthy was home and would spot them. They made it to the Norsby's property without a hitch.

The horses saw them walk in, mindless as zombies. They whinnied loudly, stamping their feet. Cyan mustered the energy to raise a finger against her lips before dragging herself to the hay pile hidden off to the side. All three of them finally collapsed into the pile, finally letting sleep overcome their senses.

* * *

><p>"I don' believe this." 2D had picked Russel up along the way back to the house. They had all managed to squeeze into Mako for the ride. But they were greeted by the sight of an unconscious body in the road and two teens standing by, one perfectly fine, the other beaten senseless. Noodle had called for an ambulance to pick up Murdoc while 2D helped Arthur with Joel.<p>

"That kid...punched Muds' lights out!" Russel was still dumbstruck even hours later at the hospital.

"A person can only take so much before they snap completely," said Cyborg. Murdoc was in the emergency room at the moment, still not awake, while Joel had already gotten out with severe bruising and a bad headache. "There is only one thing that is left to be solved."

"What's that?" asked Noodle.

Cyborg gave her a shocked look, like she was truly horrified that Noodle didn't know what she was talking about. "Finding Cyan and Primrose. Stylo went missing hours ago and we have not had a single contact from them." Normally, rarely did the teens call 2D or Noodle unless they needed something. When they returned to the house, they most likely went about their business like any normal day.

"Maybe one of us should go home and check to see if they made it."

"No need," they all were sitting in the lobby, waiting for news on Murdoc. People were walking around and didn't bother them, but now someone had directly approached them? "I think I found somethin' tha' belongs ta yew, Stuart."

"Misteh Christofferson," 2D stood up. "Yew know were Cy an' Rosie are?"

"An' Sterlin'," he added. "I found 'em dead asleep in meh haystack. I loaded 'em in meh truck an' brought 'em 'ere."

"T''ey're 'ere? !" Russel grabbed 2D before he could dash off in a random direction to locate his daughters. "Where are t'ey? ! We're meh li'le girls? ! Lemme go Russ, I need ta find 'em."

"Stuart," Mister Christofferson spoke up, "yew need ta stay calm, fer their sake. They're...they're in pretty bad shape. Maybe yew cewd shed some light on wot 'appened, but, ta me, they look like they were in a car crash."

2D choked up, falling back into his seat. The others were shocked into silence at the news. Though Mister Christofferson had said it as an assumption, they knew it was true. Somewhere, Stylo had crashed and caused these injuries. Whether or not it was still there would be figured out later, but, at the moment, 2D felt frantic again and managed to escape Russel's reach to find his daughters.

"Tha' won' be necessary!" one of the doctors, familiar with the odd family, grabbed a hold of 2D before he could slip by. "They're doin' jus' fine, ev'ryone is. Mister Niccals 'as woken up an' wishes ta see awl o' yew."

"Where's our son? !" Both Lynn and Danny burst through the front door, almost upsetting a nurse and her cart. She screamed and leaped to the side, so at least she didn't get hurt.

"Right this way," another nurse led the two of them away to see Sterling. 2D started to follow them, convinced that the teen was being held with his daughters. The doctor caught him and explained that Cyan and Primrose were already walking and had been escorted to Murdoc's room so they could all meet up.

"Oh meh li'le loves!" 2D squeezed the life out of his daughters upon reaching the firmly shut door that served as the only barrier between them and the Satanist's wrath. The two girls wheezed and frantically pushed their father away. Realizing he was probably doing more bad than good, 2D released them. "Are yeh 'urt bad?"

"Not too badly," said Primrose, leaning on the wall to catch her breath. "Stylo's the main problem. I...I'm afraid ta go in." Her eyes flicked toward the shut door. She trembled and threw herself at Cyborg, hugging the robot tightly around the waist. " 'E's gonna kill us!"

A gun barrel slid out from Cyborg's mouth. "Okay! Everybody calm down!" Noodle put her hand over the barrel, pushing it lightly so it would go back in. "Murdoc can be reasoned with, I've done it before. We just need to stay calm and keep control of the situation." She shifted Rory to one arm so that she could open the door. "But just in case, we're locking the house doors tonight. Girls, you'll sleep in the living room."

Murdoc looked a little worse for wear and almost pathetic as his head craned to look at whoever was entering his room. He sat with his back curved and shoulders drooped. The machines around his bed weren't currently in use, a good sign. "Well-well," his eyes narrowed on Joel, who was shrinking himself behind Russel. "Get over 'ere, yew damn jaffa."

Despite the curse word and the order, Joel was amazed to hear a certain tone in the Satanist's voice. He was mad, oh yes, who wouldn't be after getting punched in the face and knocked out? But that tone surprised Joel enough that he came out of his hiding place and approached the bed without fear of getting his own head knocked in. The tone was almost...affectionate.

"Good goin'," Murdoc punched him lightly in the shoulder. "Yeh beat yer stupid dad's record by a good decade or so."

Joel scrunched his eyebrows, turning around and looking at 2D. "But...Dad didn' know yew when 'e wos my age."

"I judge ih by 'ow long I've known yeh. Yew finally stood up ta me."

"Does this mean yew'll stop makin' fun o' me?"

" 'Ell no! But now the insults will be easier ta take 'cause yew already know tha' yew took me down an' yew can easily do ih again. I still call the runt 'runt'. An' speak o' the devil," he shoved the blanket off and rose to his feet. "Get over 'ere yew bitch! I'll kill yew!" Cyan screamed as he lunged forward, only to be held back by Cyborg and Russel.

"No! No! No!" Rory cried out. He understood enough to know that Cyan was in big danger at the moment. Considering she wouldn't stop screaming and Murdoc was straining to wring her neck, it didn't take a genius to figure it out.

"Knock it off!" Russel pushed Cyborg aside and wrapped Murdoc in his large arms, crushing him against his chest. "Calm down, Muds! You fo'gave Jo fo' punchin' ya in the face! Ya can' overlook Cy-girl crashin' the car? She's hurt bad."

"She'll be even more 'urt when I get my 'ands on 'er!"

"Stop!" 2D shouted, getting between his daughter and the Satanist. "End ih now!"

"I'll end _'er_!"

"I'll set Joel on yew!" 2D threatened. Amazingly, Murdoc calmed down slightly, at least he didn't look so demonic now. "Now I'm sure Stylo can be fixed an' Cy will be 'appy ta 'elp. Right?" he asked his daughter, who nodded meekly in return, her hand grasped firmly on the Evangelist's charm. "See? Ev'ryfink's fine."

"Maybe in your mind," Murdoc growled. "But tha' runt ain' goin' anywhere near my car! If she so much as brushes against ih, I'm takin' 'er down."

"Crazy," Arthur choked on his breath and spun around. Sterling was peeking around the door frame, having witnessed what took place. Feeling a familiar wave of irritation that was always associated with the older teen's appearance, Arthur stepped out with him in the hallway.

"Where're yer parents?"

"Checkin' me outta 'ere. Murdoc's insane."

Arthur narrowed his eyes. "Look, I know yer game an' ih won' work." Sterling stared blankly back. "Yew jus' lost yer place in Cy's circle."

Without warning, Sterling burst out laughing. He doubled over, clutching his chest and continued his laughter until he coughed and groaned in pain between laughs. "Yew thought- me an' Cy? Man, yer crazy!" He settled into little chuckles and managed to stand upright. "I awlready got meh eye on a li'le lady, plays the viola an' keeps strikin' sours 'cause we can' stop lookin' at each other." He reached out and patted Arthur on the shoulder. "Cy's awl yers, she never looked at me in tha' light any'ow."

As he turned to leave, Arthur grabbed the back of his shirt. "Wot about me? Wot does she think o' me?"

"Yew?" he paused and thought hard about what exactly he wanted to say next. "She talks 'bout'chu with interest, but she does the same about Joel and Primrose." He paused again. "Then again, she does smile a lot an' giggle some when yer the subject. I'm not sayin' ih's a done deal, but yeh got a shot." He patted him on the shoulder again. "See yeh."

"Bye," Arthur said, but his mind was a million miles away. He had a chance.

* * *

><p>"How's it been going at the auto shop?" Noodle asked as Cyan and Murdoc entered the kitchen. As part of the agreement, Cyan had to take regular trips to the auto shop and watch the workers fix Stylo so she could see the true damage she had done. This was only her second visit and there were many more ahead.<p>

"I'm enchanted," the blunette sighed, dropping into a chair. "T'ey let me use some o' te tools te 'elp. I've neveh felt so fulfilled. Awl te damage I did is slowly reversin'."

"Good to see you're having fun," said Noodle while Murdoc grumbled in the background.

"Noodle, I wanna be a mechanic," Cyan stated proudly.

"Wot now?" 2D poked his head out from the laundry room. "Wot did I 'ear?"

"Da', I wanna be a mechanic! Ih's so wondehful! Awl te tools, ev'ryfink I can do wiff machinery, robots! Wot'cha 'fink?"

2D stared blankly, his mouth hanging open by a little. He sat opposite his daughter at the table. Cyan had wondered for the longest time what her purpose could be, and now, wanted to be a mechanic. "Meh da's a mechanic."

"I know, so is Rosie's da'."

"Runs in the family, huh?" said Noodle. "Cyan, if this is what you wanna do, I'll back you up one hundred percent, so will your father. Right Stuart?"

"Is...is t'is really wot'chu want, Cy?" 2D asked.

"I know ih is."

"T'en I'll support yer decision."

" 'Fank yew!" she raced around the table and hugged him tightly. "T'ey offered me an apprenticeship awlready!" She raced off to find whoever else would listen to her excitement, leaving the three adults behind in the kitchen.

"Figures," Murdoc scoffed, "yeh take a kid ta the auto shop ta teach 'em a lesson, an' they end up gettin' a job there. Where's the justice?"

"I'd kiss you if you weren't disgusting," said Noodle. "You just gave Cyan her purpose in life. I honestly hope you're happy with yourself."

"I'm 'avin' trouble processin' some stuff right now. Though she may become a mechanic, she still ain' goin' anywhere near meh car." He turned and left the two there to wonder what was going through his mind. With his front averted from their sight, he let himself smile before walking off to the door. He caught her running around the dog run, trying to find someone else to tell her good news to. "My car is _my _car, yeh got tha'?"

"Yer too stingy."

"Yeah wotever. New Years resolution an' wot-not. Yers is ta be a damn apprentice."

"Fo' meh future."

"Still wotever, fer auld lang syne, yew freakin' Scot."

"I'm Irish!" she shouted back before spying Primrose on the hammock in the backyard and rushing over to tell her. Murdoc watched her run off, slinking back into the shadows for one more smile. Only Cortez, perched on the chair, saw this one. Murdoc let it slide. It wasn't like the bird would tell anyone that he was going soft. But he couldn't help but feel happy for Cyan, the runt that had dropped into their lives of her own accord.

"For auld lang syne, my dear,

for aul lang syne

we'll take a cup of kindness yet,

for auld lang syne."

* * *

><p>It officially took me a year to write this, I didn't plan that but I'm happy.<p>

The planned sequel is currently on hold after seeing the response to this story. I'd like to collect my thoughts before trying it. It would focus more on Rory as the main character, wanting to have his turn in the lime light, something his family is trying to discourage.

I have another Gorillaz story in production. It's called 'The Butterfly Effect'. I hope to start getting it posted soon. More information will appear in the chapters of my other current fic 'Arms of an Angel'. Goodbye, for now.

~Strawberry Phoenix


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